Parent–Child Interaction Therapy, DVD

With Cheryl Bodiford McNeil, PhD

Closed Captioned
Running Time: Over 100 minutes
Copyright: 2008

ORDER CODE: APA-4310814


In Parent–Child Interaction Therapy, Dr. Cheryl Bodiford McNeil demonstrates this approach to helping young children who present with conduct problem behavior. This empirically supported intervention focuses on improving the relationship between parent and child by teaching parents specific skills to develop a nurturing, secure bond with their child. Parents also learn specific strategies for improving child compliance through consistent limit setting.

In this session, Dr. McNeil works with a 45-year-old single mother of a 3-year-old girl who acts self-destructively when she does not get her way. Dr. McNeil watches the mother and daughter relate to each other and coaches the client through the use of an ear bug that allows her to guide the mother while she interacts with her daughter.

Approach
Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically-supported intervention developed by Dr. Sheila Eyberg of the University of Florida for treatment of young children (2 to 7 years) with conduct problem behavior. The distinguishing feature of PCIT is that it focuses on improving the quality of the parent–child relationship by coaching parents in specific skills as they interact with their child.

There are two phases to the treatment program. In Child Directed Interaction (CDI), parents are coached in skills similar to those used by play therapists to establish a nurturing and secure relationship with their child. Goals of CDI include enhancing the child's self-esteem, promoting prosocial behavior in the child, and reducing the child's anger and frustration. In the second phase of treatment, Parent Directed Interaction (PDI), parents are coached in the use of behavior management techniques that promote child compliance and reduce aggressive and disruptive behaviors.

Throughout PCIT, parents receive immediate feedback in such areas as praising appropriate behavior, interacting at the child's developmental level, ignoring inappropriate behavior, giving good instructions, and teaching children to accept a timeout consequence.

PCIT originally was developed and evaluated for the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders in young children. A typical client would be a child between the ages of 2 and 7 years who is displaying defiance, aggression, temper tantrums, and hyperactivity. More recently, PCIT has been applied to a range of presenting problems including anxiety disorders, chronic pediatric illness, developmental disorders, and child maltreatment.

For further information, please see the PCIT Web site. In particular, please see the following article on that Web site:

Herschell, A. D., Calzada, E., Eyberg, S. M., & McNeil, C. B. (2002). Parent–child interaction therapy: New directions in research. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 9–16.

About the Therapist
Cheryl B. McNeil, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology in the Clinical Child program at West Virginia University. Her clinical and research interests are focused on program development and evaluation, specifically with regard to abusive parenting practices and managing the disruptive behaviors of young children in both the home and school settings. In addition to numerous research articles, Dr. McNeil has coauthored two books (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Short-Term Play Therapy for Disruptive Children), a continuing education package (Working with Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children), and a classroom management program (The Tough Class Discipline Kit).