Interpersonal Therapy – Specific Concept And Strategies

The Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) has been developed starting with the ’60 by a group of psychiatrists, with Myrna Weissman being a well-known psychanalyst. Klerman, Weissman, Rounsaville si Chevron published only 1983 their IPT Manual for Depression, after a sound development and efficacity testing of IPT throughout controlled studies. Afterwards, differentiated forms of IPT have been developed for different disorders and psychological problems, including for adolescent depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, AIDS, conjoint therapy and others. IPT’s concept has been derived from Sullivan’s well-known social approach of psychiatric disorders, from the Attachment Theory of Bowlby and the specific approach of Adolf Meyer. IPT does not claim for an etiological model but asserts and proves its efficacity throughout a psychosocial approach, i.e. changing perceptions and attitudes concerning ones relationships. The paper will present IPT’s specific features and uniqueness among today’s psychotherapies and will define resemblances and differences to psychodinamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy.