Which therapy is strongly evidence-based for preschoolers with disruptive behavior and emphasizes parent coaching?

• A. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• B. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
• C. Parent Management Training
• D. Emotion-Focused Therapy

Answer: (B)

The key idea is an intervention that directly trains and coaches parents in real time while they interact with their preschooler. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy does this by providing live coaching to the parent during structured play and caregiving moments, so the parent learns to use praise, clear directions, and consistent discipline as it happens. The therapist guides the parent through the child’s behavior, then gradually shifts to helping the parent enforce limits in a calm, predictable way. This real-time coaching and hands-on skill-building is what makes PCIT especially effective for reducing disruptive behaviors in preschoolers and improving parenting practices. It’s backed by strong research showing durable improvements, more so than other approaches that don’t center on live parent coaching.