Interpersonal Therapy in Primary Infertility, Life-Cycle Transitions, and Dysthymia: A Single Case Study

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is an evidence-based therapy, originally developed to treat major depression. IPT conceptualizes depression from a bio-psychosocial perspective where signs of depression are understood in the context of an individual’s current social and interpersonal stressors, defined in terms of role transitions, disputes, bereavements, and sensitivities. In this single case study, IPT was used to treat a woman undergoing primary infertility with multiple failed pregnancies and unsuccessful adoption procedures along with specific grief reactions and depressive symptoms for 2 years. The therapy was formulated over 12 weekly sessions in the outpatient set-up in a general hospital in Kolkata in 2017. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was used to assess the efficacy of the therapy and its outcomes. The therapy was found to be effective in the patient and justifies the rationale of choosing the said therapy for the specific case from an interpersonal viewpoint. The case study may help suggest how and why to use interpersonal psychotherapy in infertility conditions with psychological ramifications.

Acceptability and feasibility of peer-administered group interpersonal therapy for depression for people living with HIV/AIDS—a pilot study in Northwest Ethiopia

Background Psychological treatments are widely tested and have been effective in treating depressive symptoms. However, implementation of psychological treatments in the real world and in diverse populations remains difficult due to several interacting barriers. In this study, we assessed the acceptability and feasibility of peer-administered group interpersonal therapy for depressive symptoms among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northwest Ethiopia. Method We conducted a single-arm, peer-administered, group interpersonal therapy intervention with eight weekly sessions from 15 August to 15 December 2019 among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northwest Ethiopia. Four interpersonal therapy groups were formed for the intervention with a total of 31 participants. Results Of the 31 recruited participants, 29 completed the intervention providing a retention rate of 93.5%. The process of the intervention and its outcomes were highly acceptable as most participants expressed success in resolving their psychosocial problems, adjusting to life changes and coping with stigma. The intervention was also reported to be feasible despite anticipated barriers such as access to transportation, perceived stigma and confidentiality concerns. The post-intervention assessment revealed significant reduction in depressive symptoms (mean difference (MD) = 9.92; t = − 7.82; 95% CI, − 12.54, − 7.31; p < 0.001), improvement in perceived social support (MD = 0.79; t = 2.84; 95% CI, 0.22, 1.37; p = 0.009) and quality of life (MD = 0.39; t = 4.58; 95% CI, 0.21, 0.56; p < 0.001). Conclusion Group interpersonal therapy is feasible and acceptable, and people living with HIV/AIDS can benefit from group interpersonal therapy in managing depressive symptoms and in improving perceived social support and quality of life. Future studies should examine the effectiveness of group interpersonal therapy in this setting.

Mentalization-based therapies

Clinical work as a psychoanalyst working with adults and children directly informed Fonagy’s concern with mentalizing, which grew out of technical innovations in ‘developmental help’ offered at the Anna Freud Centre. In turn, the theory developed by Fonagy and colleagues fed into the emergence of mentalization-based therapy (MBT) as a treatment modality. Initially, in the 1990s, the target of this intervention was patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, MBT has subsequently been used with patients facing a variety of mental health symptoms, including common symptoms like anxiety and depression. This chapter will describe the development of MBT over time, including variants such as dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT). We will also consider some remaining questions about MBT, including the potential for MBT to harm some groups of patients.