Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Patients with Mental Disorders

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a time-limited and diagnosis-targeted intervention It follows a strict time-limited format IPT has been successfully adapted for various other psychiatric disorders IPT follows a simple paradigm by assigning the patients a sick role by defining their problems as treatable medical conditions and linking their state of affective distress to their IP situations IPT focuses on the “here and now” of the illness by resolving issues related to IP problem areas[1] IPT has nonspecific and specific elements: Nonspecific elements include nonjudgmental approach, empathic listening, maintaining confidentiality, expressing warmth, and engaging the patient in the therapy Specific elements include providing patients a sick role, applying an IP inventory, and making a formulation that links the patients’ IP problem areas with their psychiatric diagnosis. IPT follows a holistic approach, and it is recommended to use IPT in an integrated manner The underlying assumption is that IP relationships of a person either in the past or in the present, play a role in the origin and maintenance of psychopathology. Hence, IPT mainly focuses on IP context and related factors. The goal is to either help patients improve their IP relationships or change their expectations about them and focusing on improvements in their social support networks The specific elements of IPT constitute its basic core, but can be adapted in various ways. IPT can be planned as a short-term, time-limited therapy, maintenance therapy, or long-term, insight-oriented treatment IPT can be adapted for different age groups including adolescents and elderly, and can also be adapted depending on the target diagnosis There can be adaptations in the format of IPT for individuals or groups or couples IPT can be adapted for any psychiatric disorder where IP problems exist[2] Insight-oriented IPT, on the other hand, emphasizes that the therapist cannot be a neutral observer, but is rather a participant. The task for the therapist is to understand his own reactions toward the patients and reflect them therapeutically, by uncovering, resolving, and termination.[2]