Depression is that name that indicates the greatest, most incapacitating, and personal inner sadness; the same one that many do not see associated with the social context in which we move. The truth is that we are social beings and the context is as important a part of us as the skin can be. Following this line, different types of interventions/therapies are currently emerging that give a lot of importance to how the relationship with our environment; one of them is Interpersonal Therapy for depression.
In this article, we will explain what interpersonal therapy for depression consists of, its history, and what makes it so different from other psychological interventions aimed at ending this problem. In addition, we will talk about its effectiveness, both in adults and in children and adolescents.
There is no worse feeling than that which occurs when we feel alone and depressed, even though we are surrounded by people.
Characteristics of interpersonal therapy
Interpersonal therapy was originally developed by Gerald L. Klerman and his team as a therapy to keep us away from depression. However, after analyzing the benefits, it was concluded that it is also a therapy that makes us stronger or more resistant to other disorders.
The power of interpersonal therapy lies in the fact that it takes into account the current and most important interpersonal ties and relationships for the person, as well as the immediate social context with which they interact.
IPT conceptualizes depression as a set of three components: symptomatology, social functioning, and personality. Its purpose is to influence the first two components. The therapeutic model focuses on four interpersonal problems:
- Interpersonal conflicts: whether they are family, social, work, or any other situation. These conflicts are inevitable as they are based on the opposition of two or more points of view. They will only be included in therapy if they cause great discomfort and interpersonal therapy is the best way to address them.
- Role transitions: interpersonal disputes or role conflicts arise from a conflict: the affected person and another significant person or people expect different things from their role, that is, there are unshared expectations of how that person should behave as a father, mother, or boss.
- Grief: When the discomfort of loss is too intense or lasts too long, we may face pathological grief. For this, IPT or interpersonal therapy helps us to analyze the loss realistically, deal with our emotions, and fill the void that it causes healthily and positively.
- Interpersonal deficits: this problem arises when the person does not have an adequate social support network, thus multiplying the feelings of loneliness and isolation. In this case, Interpersonal Therapy will help us find our social space, improving, among other things, our social skills.
These variables are so important about depression because, when any of them come into play, we are pushed into a “life crisis.” These crises give way to a multitude of psychological problems, the most common of which is depression. But it is not the only area in which this intervention can help us. For example, interpersonal therapy has also been shown to be effective in treating eating disorders.
Interpersonal Therapy in Childhood and Adolescence
Interpersonal therapy is considered effective for the treatment of depression not only in adults but also in adolescents. We point out this fact because it underlines the importance of having skills to manage social relationships and emotions that may arise from the relationships we maintain with others, those we have maintained, or those we create.
It must also be acknowledged that learning to manage losses at a young age is a huge life advantage. Unfortunately, we will all have to manage losses, regardless of whether we are prepared for it or not.
We must not forget that we live in a social environment in constant flux, and adapting to it, knowing how to deal with social problems, and understanding that our own emotions are driven by social and contextual causes will improve our coping strategies. Depression does not have to be a personal or internal problem in itself but can be a contextual and/or relational problem.
Bibliographic references:
Comeche, Mª Isabel; Vallejo, Miguel Ángel (2016): Lessons in Behavior Therapy. Madrid: Dickinson.
De Mello MF, De Jesús Mari J, Bacaltchuk J, Verdeli H, Neugebauer R (2005): A systematic review of research findings on the efficacy of interpersonal therapy for depressive disorders. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2005;255(2):75-82.
Vallejo, Miguel Ángel; Comeche, Mª Isabel (2016): Manual of Behavior Therapy in Childhood. Madrid: Dykinson.Vallejo, Miguel Ángel (2016): Manual of Behavior Therapy (Volume I). Madrid: Dykinson.