Which therapy for early childhood disruptive behavior emphasizes live coaching of parents during interactions?

• A. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
• B. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• C. Interpersonal Therapy for Adolescents
• D. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Answer: (A)

Live coaching of parents during real-time interactions with their young child is the hallmark of this approach. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy trains parents to respond to disruptive behaviors as they happen, with the therapist providing in-the-moment guidance to reinforce positive behavior and implement consistent consequences. The therapy typically has two stages: first, coaching parents to use positive attention and child-led play to strengthen the parent-child relationship and reduce misbehavior; second, coaching on effective limit setting and discipline to improve compliance. This real-time coaching can be delivered through an in-ear device or by direct in-room guidance. This distinguishes it from other options: EMDR focuses on trauma processing; Interpersonal Therapy for Adolescents targets adolescent relational and mood issues rather than coaching parents in real-time with a younger child; Solution-Focused Brief Therapy emphasizes future-oriented goals and solutions without the live coaching component during child interactions.