Parent-child interaction therapy is one of the effective ways to improve behaviour of children in a constructive manner. Let us take a look at what is parent-child interaction therapy and how it can help to improve behaviour of children.The parent-child relationship dynamics have changed a lot in the past 10 years. The fault is not entirely the childs who is often blamed of being in emotional and distant. It is also the parents who are to be blamed because they do not make an effort to reconnect with their child. It is probably the way of life and parents staying out all day at jobs that has affected the relationship. A material culture has emerged where parents are buying their childs love with presents. This is why parents and children are unable to communicate properly these days.What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?Psychologist have studied this lack of communication and eventually developed a therapy known as the parent-child interaction therapy. This treatment was first developed by Sheila Eyberg. This behavioural parents training is based on the works of Dreikurs, who implemented theories of individual psychologies to parent-child interaction.How Does Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Work?The children who have demonstrated emotional and behavioural disorders are brought in along with their parents for this therapy. The therapy is aimed at improving parent-child interaction and changing the pattern of interactions of parents and child. Many of the problems the kids face are rooted in the fact that they are unable to connect with parents.Children do not share their problems or talk to their parents about their troubles. This therapy will ensure that they child is more open to the parents about everything. Parents who do not know how to deal with or talk to a child properly also learn ways of communication through this therapy.What Circumstances Warrant this Therapy?Disruptive behaviour is a common cause for mental diseases in children. A fundamental source of mental problems has been traced to childhood. Children with parent issues are the ones that often end up displaying disruptive or destructive behaviour. As kids these may be manifested through little signs like talking back and can be as extreme as significant acts of aggression. Parent child interaction therapy tries to train the parents in ways to deal with the behaviour of such kids.What Do Parents Learn Through this Therapy?Parents are taught to be authoritative, exercise firm control over the child, establish a good communication with their child and practice a behaviour which is nurturing towards the child, they should feel wanted and loved. When kids are trained along with the parent, the time they are spending in therapy with parents,smoothens things between them. Parent and child who never interacted closely before end up doing so during the course of the therapy.What are Stages of this Therapy?There are basically two primary stages of therapy. Relationship development forms the first part of the therapy while discipline training is the second part of the therapy. Relationship development or child directed interaction has the primary motive of cementing a great bond and communication between parent and child. Without this, one cannot move forward into the therapy.The next part also called parent directed interaction focuses on the parents and teaches them the right way to maintain discipline in the house. Each child requires a different type of discipline; this is taught to the respective parents. In the very first session, the parents come in without their child. They are given a brief idea and instructions about the therapy. Weekly coaching sessions are then conducted for each stage of the treatment.The PCIT has been used quite effectively with families that are abusive of each other, children who oppose their parents at every step and used for children who have been treated badly at home. It has been a success with children who had demonstrated oppositional defiant disorder. Through this therapy the parent-child dynamics can be effectively altered and a happier relationship established.What is parent-child interaction therapy? Can parent-child interaction therapy help to improve a child’s behaviour? What do parents and children learn through parent-child interaction therapy? Discuss here.