<P> PCIT is typically administered once a week, with 1 - hour sessions, for 10 - 14 sessions total and consists of two treatment phases: Child - Directed Interaction (CDI) and Parent - Directed Interaction (PDI). The CDI component focuses on improving the quality of the parent - child relationship, which will help promote changes in behavior . This sets the foundation for the PDI stage, which continues to encourage appropriate play while also focusing on a structured and consistent approach to discipline . </P> <P> PCIT was derived from several theories, including attachment theory, social learning theory, and parenting styles theory . </P> <P> According to attachment theory by Ainsworth, "sensitive and responsive parenting" during infancy and toddlerhood leads the child to develop an expectation that their needs can be met by the parent . Thus, parents who show their young children greater warmth and are more responsive and sensitive to their needs promote a sense of security that they can later apply to relationships with others . This can also help with more effective emotion regulation. Children who are referred to clinics for externalizing behaviors are more likely than non-referred children to display distress when separated from the parent and to display indicators of an insecure attachment to their parent . </P> <P> The Child Directed Interaction (CDI) component of the PCIT applies attachment theory through its goal to "restructure the parent - child relationship and provide a secure attachment for the child". The CDI component makes use of the idea that parents can have a dramatic effect on their child's behavior, especially during the early preschool years . This is a critical period where children are more responsive to their parent's and less so to other influences such as teachers or peers . </P>

What is the goal of cdi the first phase of treatment