Although early childhood (i.e., birth through age 8 years) often brings many moments of joy for caregivers, navigating the complexities of early childhood behavior can be a daunting task. Many caregivers wonder what to do as they experience challenging behaviors in young children during these early stages of development. It can be difficult for caregivers to distinguish when behavior problems move from “typical” to beyond typical, or to a clinical level of concern.
This practice brief outlines two programs that empower parents and other caregivers, such as childcare and school staff, with specialized skills to address challenging behaviors and foster resilience in children under the age of 10 years.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention designed for children aged 2-7 years old who display disruptive behaviors (e.g., tantrums, aggression). Additionally, PCIT supports the reduction of harsh parenting practices. However, PCIT may also benefit families more broadly who have needs for parent-child relationship enhancement support. PCIT has decades of evidence for its effectiveness, which has led to numerous adaptations, including versions tailored for toddlers, children aged 7-10 years, children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), separation anxiety, selective mutism, autism, early onset depression, developmental delays, and children with histories of trauma and maltreatment (see Lieneman et al., 2017 for a research summary). There are now over 300 scientific articles and book chapters on PCIT (www.pcit.org).
Further, a school-based adaptation called Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) was developed to extend PCIT’s evidence-based components into the early childhood classroom setting. TCIT provides specific support to teachers related to the development of prosocial behaviors and management of challenging classroom behaviors (McNeil et al., 2002).
PCIT is a Tier 3 Family Program within a school-based multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) specifically designed for students who exhibit clinically indicated behavioral and emotional needs. As a Tier 3 intervention, PCIT is recognized as an evidence-based treatment and best practice by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2024), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2023), California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (2023), and the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse (2023). The CDC recommends that children with ADHD under age 6 receive a behavioral program such as PCIT before starting medication (CDC, 2024). Further, the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), codified in Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, allows Title IV-E funding to support practices like PCIT, aligning with its goal of improving mental health for parents and children. These endorsements underscore PCIT’s robust suitability for addressing challenging cases when delivered by trained professionals who provide individualized support. By focusing on enhancing parent-child interactions and equipping parents with effective behavior management techniques, PCIT aligns with the MTSS goal of offering data-driven, tailored interventions that foster students’ academic and social-emotional success (Condliffe et al., 2022).
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