PCIT
Medical abbreviation · Mental Health & Psychiatry
| Stands for | Parent-child interaction therapy |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
PCIT stands for Parent-child interaction therapy, a mental health & psychiatry abbreviation.
Behavioral therapy for young children, typically aged 2–7, with disruptive behavior, in which a therapist coaches the parent in real time through an earpiece while observing from behind a one-way mirror. Treatment moves from child-directed play to parent-directed discipline phases.
Example: PCIT for 4-year-old with ODD, mastery of child-directed interaction skills reached in session 7.
Usage notes
Developed by psychologist Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s. Progress is measured by coded observations of parent skills rather than a fixed number of sessions. Adaptations exist for child maltreatment, autism and internet delivery. Pronounced as letters.
Related abbreviations
More mental health & psychiatry abbreviations
- OCPD – Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
- ODD – Oppositional defiant disorder
- OSFED – Other specified feeding or eating disorder
- OTP – Opioid treatment program
- OUD – Opioid use disorder
- PANSS – Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
- PCL-5 – PTSD Checklist for DSM-5
- PD – Panic disorder
- PDD – Persistent depressive disorder
- PE – Prolonged exposure therapy
- PHP – Partial hospitalization program
- PHQ-2 – Patient Health Questionnaire-2
See all 100 mental health & psychiatry abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.