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    • Our Team
      • Madison Shaner
      • Julia Baker
      • Olivia Thompson
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      • Michael Christiansen
      • Keren Gilboa
      • JOIN OUR TEAM
    • Our Services
      • PCIT
      • PCIT-Toddler
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      • Parent Workshops
    • CONTACT US
  • Home
  • Our Team
    • Madison Shaner
    • Julia Baker
    • Olivia Thompson
    • Monica Waitkus
    • Michael Christiansen
    • Keren Gilboa
    • JOIN OUR TEAM
  • Our Services
    • PCIT
    • PCIT-Toddler
    • Children
    • Teen and Adolescents
    • Young Adults
    • Adults
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    • Parent Workshops
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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

Is PCIT right for your family?

  • Is your child destructive? For example, do they break things on purpose?
  • Do they easily lose their temper?
  • Tired of getting phone calls from school about your child’s behavior?
  • Feeling overwhelmed by your child’s tantrums or defiance?
  • Love your child, but don’t like his or her behavior?


Parenting a young child with behavioral, emotional, or social difficulties can be stressful and challenging. Oftentimes, caregivers are unclear whether their child’s behaviors are “normal” for their age and adopt a “wait and see” approach hoping that the behavior will eventually resolve as their child gets older.


Parent-Child Interaction Therapy or PCIT is a therapy for families with children between the ages of 2 and 7 who have trouble listening, are impulsive, hyperactive, or even aggressive and destructive.  (For children under the age of 2 check out our PCIT-Toddler page). PCIT uses live coaching by a therapist over a bug-in-the-ear device to help caregivers manage problem behaviors in the moment.  PCIT is divided into two phases.  The first phase is designed to help children calm down, improve their attention and focus, feel less angry, and help caregivers strengthen their relationships with their child which often gets strained when children misbehave.  The second phase  helps caregivers to reduce and manage problem behaviors and helps children to accept consistent consequences and limits.  On average families are able to complete PCIT in 12-20 sessions; however, PCIT is not time limited.   


Over 30 years of research has demonstrated that PCIT is effective at helping improve behavior problems and reduce parenting stress.  As a child’s problem behaviors decrease, parenting skills improve, and the quality of a parent-child relationship is enhanced. PCIT can improve behavior in other settings, such as school, day care, and with siblings. 


For more information call Pittsburgh PCIT and Counseling at  412-212-6441 or visit PCIT International. 



INTERNET-BASED PCIT: BEYOND THE PANDEMIC

Accessibility to web-based services is highlighted as a benefit to families who may not be able to seek in-clinic treatment.

Accessibility to web-based services is highlighted as a benefit to families who may not be able to seek in-clinic treatment.

Accessibility to web-based services is highlighted as a benefit to families who may not be able to seek in-clinic treatment.

PCIT has been successfully delivered via internet-based services internationally.

Accessibility to web-based services is highlighted as a benefit to families who may not be able to seek in-clinic treatment.

Accessibility to web-based services is highlighted as a benefit to families who may not be able to seek in-clinic treatment.

Parents benefit from learning to use the skills in their homes, rather than an office setting.

In one study, 70% of I-PCIT respondents reported significant improvement in child behavior during treatment while only 55% of respondents receiving clinic-based PCIT reported similar improvements.

In one study, 70% of I-PCIT respondents reported significant improvement in child behavior during treatment while only 55% of respondents receiving clinic-based PCIT reported similar improvements.

In one study, 70% of I-PCIT respondents reported significant improvement in child behavior during treatment while only 55% of respondents receiving clinic-based PCIT reported similar improvements.

In one study, 70% of I-PCIT respondents reported significant improvement in child behavior during treatment while only 55% of respondents receiving clinic-based PCIT reported similar improvements.

In one study, 70% of I-PCIT respondents reported significant improvement in child behavior during treatment while only 55% of respondents receiving clinic-based PCIT reported similar improvements.

In the graph to the left you’ll see that Internet-delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT) had a higher percentage of patients rated as Much Improved and Very Much Improved. The % rated as Excellent Responders was significantly higher in the Internet group!.

Check out this video from Child Mind Institute describing PCIT.  


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