Interpersonal psychotherapy for chronic depression.
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a time-limited, manualized, life-event-based treatment of demonstrated efficacy for acute major depression. This article describes its adaptation and application to chronic forms of unipolar depression. The interpersonal difficulties of chronically depressed patients present a potentially good fit for a therapy that builds interpersonal functioning, but the chronicity of illness and paucity of life events of dysthymic patients complicate the use of IPT. Recent outcome research is reviewed. A case example illustrates the clinical approach and potential benefits. Based on a limited number of studies, the benefits of acute IPT for chronic depression appear non-specific and modest.
Markowitz
John C
JC
Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. jcmarko@med.cornell.edu
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*