Communities for Children Facilitating Partners Evidence-based programme profiles
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Name | Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) |
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Target audience | Infants (0-2 years) |
CfC Objective | Supporting Families and Parents |
Organisation | Karitane Australia, Parent Child Interaction Therapy Inc |
Delivery Setting | Community-based |
Description | PCIT is a cognitive behavioural intervention that aims to decrease behavioural problems, increase positive parent behaviours and improve the quality of the parent-child relationship. |
Delivered to | Children aged 15 months to 7 years identified as at risk of maltreatment, or self-identified because of severe behavioural problems, and their parents. |
Delivered by | Licensed mental health service providers (e.g., psychologist, family therapist, social worker etc.) with a master's degree or higher in a mental health field. Under some circumstances psychology doctoral students can deliver the program. Check the program website for more information. |
Program Structure | PCIT is a mastery-based program that is generally delivered by a qualified psychologist/therapist via weekly hour-long sessions for approximately 14 weeks. The program can be delivered through in-room coaching or by using a one-way mirror and headphones (this may incur additional costs). For more information about the requirements for delivering PCIT contact Karitane Toddler Clinic or visit: http://www.pcit.org |
Training | Practitioners must undergo: |
Cost |
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Contact | Sue Morgan Website: https://karitane.com.au/page/for-professionals/professional-development |
Evaluation and effectiveness | The program has undergone 3 RCTs in the United States. The most recent RCT found improvements in child behavior, parental behavior and statistical significant improvements made in parent report of child problems, and parental stress. Participants who completed treatment were less likely to be notified to child protection compared to control group. Thomas, R., Zimmer-Gembeck, MJ. (2011). Accumulating evidence for parent child interaction therapy in prevention of child maltreatment. Child Development, 82(1), 177-192. |