PCIT

While parent and child play together the PCIT therapist discreetly observes their interactions through a one-way mirror and coaches the parent “in-the-moment” through an ear-bud.

Dr. Cohen conducts three to four training sessions over the course of the treatment to introduce the PCIT curriculum. In between training sessions parents practice using PCIT skills with their child and receive real time coaching during “special play time.” As the parent demonstrates consistency and comfort applying the PCIT skills, the coaching evolves to help them better understand the strategies and subtleties involved in applying the most appropriate skill for each presenting behavior.

The PCIT therapist observes typical parent-child interactions and behavior weekly. The therapist has numerous opportunities to test various theories that may be motivating a child’s behavior by directing the parent to apply PCIT skills and approaches until a desired behavioral outcome is reached. The PCIT approach with in-the-moment coaching enables the parent to integrate skills useful across multiple situations and environments.

Once parents have mastered the PCIT skills, Dr. Cohen can travel with families, when needed, to address any high risk or lingering child behavioral challenges that are occurring in specific situations and environments; e.g., non-compliance in parking lots, aggressive behavior in playgrounds, inappropriate behavior at birthday parties or other errands, or events.

PCIT is for families with children between the ages of two and eight years. It is for parents who want to experience more ease with parenting, improve their parenting skills, and enjoy family time more. It is for children who are having a difficult time navigating their emotions, controlling their bodies, handling challenging situations, or are demonstrating deficiencies in social, coping or problem solving skills.

PCIT is exceptionally effective for addressing maladaptive behaviors and developmental delays with young children. PCIT also provides structure and support when children are having a difficult time adapting to, and coping with, significant life events.

What follows is a more detailed list of the parent and child conditions, life circumstances and behaviors that are effectively addressed in the PCIT model.

Parents/Caregivers:

• Who may be feeling overwhelmed, depressed, stressed, or confused about how to respond to their child’s disruptive, emotional and challenging behavior.
• Who want to learn how to create high quality interactions, facilitate closer relationships and strengthen bonds with their children.
• Along with parents, significant caregivers and step-parents are encouraged to participate in the PCIT treatment.
• When all the child’s caregivers engage in  effective interactions with the child, the consistency promotes the child’s understanding and integration of important family values and expectations.  Consistency across parents and caregivers also increases a  child’s sense of security, reduces anxiety,  and improves concentration, positively influencing the way the child relates with others.

Children ages 2 thru 8, exhibiting any of the following or similar behaviors:

• Difficulty functioning in school, preschool, or daycare
• School refusal, separation anxiety, lying “story-telling,” or perfectionism
• Aggression toward parents, siblings, other adults, children or animals
• Disrespectful or oppositional  attitude toward adults; bullying others
• Temper-tantrums, problems with emotional regulation, or poor frustration tolerance
• Refusing to follow directions, defiant behavior, argumentative, or negotiating directives
• Reacts impulsively to emotions; e.g., curses, spits, bites, pulls hair, destroys property
• Attention difficulties, delays with coordination or language, hyperactivity, fidgets, can’t sit still
• Invading others’ physical boundaries; unceasing need for attention
• Socially immature, difficulties making and keeping friends, social anxiety
• Sensory integration difficulties; spectrum challenges, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome
• Difficulties with transitions; difficulty coping with changes to routine
• Traumatic stress responses including: nightmares, night terrors, problems sleeping, generalized anxiety, and recurrent triggers.
• Unstable mood, low self-esteem, cries easily, tearful, whines, minimal joy, sluggish
• Depressed, anxious, withdrawn, isolated, change in sleeping or eating patterns, fights bed-time, regressed self-care skills, refusing to dress self, sudden difficulties with elimination; i.e., unexplained constipation, or a loss of previously mastered toileting skills
• Overwhelming emotional feelings following separation from a loved one, grieving a loss
• Difficulty adapting to changes in family structure; e.g., divorce, separation, family blending, adoption or birth of a sibling
• Multi-generational conflict, problem with a sibling relationship, insecure parent-child attachment
• Emotional or behavioral difficulties related to immigration and assimilation status
• Emotional or behavioral difficulties related to pediatric illness, fearing and resisting treatment protocols or procedures; e.g., injections, breathing treatments, infusions, changing bandages, wearing orthopedic braces, taking oral medications
• Disabilities; cognitive, physical, sensory or global developmental delays.

As an evidenced based therapy there have been numerous research studies done on PCIT attesting to the strength of the therapy.

Sighting from one publication that reviewed the research on PCIT, participating families reported the followings outcomes: