Conceptualizing PCIT-T as an Emotion Regulation Treatment for Toddlers

Abstract

PCIT-T serves as an interactive process, whereby each member of the therapy team models, reinforces, and supports each other during the live application of skills with one another. The coach provides a secure emotional base for the parent, who is in turn able to provide the same support to the child. This sequence is often referred to as the parallel process. To effectively implement the parallel process, the coaches and parent’s ability to accurately read, interpret, and respond to the underlying function behind a child’s dysregulated behavior is essential, hence the development of the CARES model and in vivo coaching.