Format of PCIT
In PCIT, the child and parents are seen together
for weekly, 1-hour sessions. The principles and
skills of each phase of treatment are first explained
to parents alone in a teaching session using modeling
and role-play. In subsequent coaching sessions,
parents take turns practicing the skills as one
plays with the child in the playroom while his or her
partner observes with the therapist from an observation
room. The therapist coaches the parent in
the playroom through a “bug-in-the-ear” microphone.
Most coaching statements are brief, precise,
labeled praises for use of skills (eg, “good behavioral
description”), as well as comments on the
parent’s style (eg, “nice genuine praise”), or the
effect of the skills on the child (eg, “she is talking
to you more as you reflect more”). Coaching
statements also include redirections, suggestions,
noncritical corrections, and interpretations of the
child’s behavior. This concentrated, immediate
feedback during the parent-child interaction hastens
skill and allows parents to correct mistakes in
their use of new skills before practicing them.
Parents’ progress through treatment is performance
based. They must meet predetermined skill criteria
before moving from one phase to the next and
before completing treatment. Treatment lasts about
13 sessions on average, but may range from 5 to 25
sessions depending on factors such as parents’
regular attendance and motivation to practice.