Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression: A Brief, Focused, Specific Strategy (Master Work) [Paperback]

Gerald L. Klerman (Author), Myrna M. Weissman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1994 | ISBN-10: 1568213506 | ISBN-13: 978-1568213507 | Edition: 1st softcover ed

Reflecting the new and exciting trends in psychotherapy as well as responsive to the current emphasis on efficient, substantial therapeutic results, this book presents a model of interpersonal, short_term psychotherapy for clinically depressed patients. Gerald L. Klerman, whose research on depression has made him world renowned, and Myrna M. Weissman, who has written, with Eugene Paykel, an important book on women and depression, have worked with their colleagues to present the empirical basis for their new treatment method.
This theory builds on the heritage of Harry Stack Sullivan and John Bowlby and their focus on interpersonal issues and attachment on depression. Research shows that four categories of interpersonal difficulties predominate: grief, interpersonal disputes, role transitions. and interpersonal deficits. In this approach, the therapist focuses on the patient's primary problems and evaluates the need for medication in addition to interpersonal therapy. Acknowledging that these four areas are never mutually exclusive, the authors present a clear treatment strategy for each, augmenting their presentation with a discussion of common obstacles that arise during treatment.
As an overview, the book compares interpersonal psychotherapy with other psychotherapies for depression. Summaries of research documenting the efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy are given.The authors outline the theoretical basis for an interpersonal approach, and apply it to depression. The following sections detail how to conduct interpersonal psychotherapy, supplying case vignettes to illustrate particular problems. Finally, the authors explore combining interpersonal psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book clearly sets forth the theoretical assumptions and operating principles of interpersonal psychotherapy for depression. It provides excellent illustrative case material with important collateral information, such as reviews of outcome studies and of current pharmacological treatments. A history of the interpersonal approach, and discussion of the relationships between this approach and those of 'competing' schools, add to the book's general value. The material is skillfully presented, concise, and readable. The book is a significant contribution to clinical research and practice. Readers will find it satisfying in a number of ways: as an introduction to short-term, structured psychotherapy for depression, and as a companion to texts delineating other short-term approaches, such as those of the cognitive or behavioral schools. (Aaron T. Beck, M.D. )

The authors—pioneers in the development of a brief, focused, specific strategy of psychotherapy for the treatment of depression—have described their treatment with the precision and clarity that allow others to replicate their methods and evaluate their results. This book marks a major step in the transformation of psychotherapy from a field of competing traditions to a science in which hypotheses can be tested and accepted or rejected. For the first time we will be able to stop arguing about treasured beliefs and start building new treatments based upon the proven results of older ones. (Robert Michels, M.D. )

About the Author

The late Gerald L. Klerman, M.D., was professor of psychiatry and associate chairman of research at Cornell Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Klerman received the 1984 Solomon A. Berson Medical Alumni Achievement Award in Clinical Science.

Myrna M. Weissman, Ph.D., is professor of epidemiology in psychiatry, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University; and chief, Division of Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.; 1st softcover ed edition (October 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568213506
• ISBN-13: 978-1568213507
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #852,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Talking about Talking, September 8, 2003

By 

D. P. Birkett (Suffern, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression: A Brief, Focused, Specific Strategy (Master Work) (Paperback)

This is the how-to-do-it text for interpersonal therapy (IP). It's directed at fellow professionals rather than the general public In fact the last page suggests that you can learn to do IP just by reading the book, if you started off as an experienced therapist. A caveat is that the authors say they found that those who did best on a written examination based on the book were (in the authors' opinion) the worst therapists.

IP is based on Harry Stack Sullivan's theories, so you could be a Sullivanian interpersonal therapist without being a Klermanian IP.

The Sullivanian theory was that our personality is made up of the way we react to other people. We start off with an empty slate and then people start communicating with us us and we communicate back. All mental illness was due to something wrong in the way we relate to people.

Klerman et al don't make a great deal of the theory. Their therapy (only meant for mild depression) consists of talking to patients about how they communicate. This casts a wide net and many therapists who just sit and chat with their patients will recognize the style. Underlying subconscious motives are probed for to some extent. Depressed people must be holding back their real feelings and not communicating freely. Letting it all hang out and saying what you mean is the key to happiness.

They differentiate themselves from Beck (the cognitive therapy man)by only seeking to change behavior in relation to significant people in the patient's life, but this covers a wide field. In fact a difficulty for advocates of IP is distinguishing themselves from just being nice sympathetic listeners willing to talk about problems (which is not such a terrible thing to be).

They make is sound more scientific at times by means of empty polysyllabic phrases such as "clarification of emotional states, improvement of interpersonal communication, and testing of perceptions and performance through interpersonal contact." This sort of stuff makes the book hard going in parts.

The therapy is supposed to be short-term, and one useful chapter of the book is a summary of the rival short-term psychotherapies.

Interpersonal therapy is supposed to be better than the others because of having been tested in controlled trials. This is really the major selling point and it's one that is difficult to evaluate here. You have to check the journals. The results of the controlled trials are controversial and are more equivocal than the book indicates (It was published in 1984). Some careful and impartial evaluators have suggested that it all comes back to what Jerome Frank said years ago in "Persuasion and Healing" namely that the character and experience of the therapist is more important than the school of thought.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars all serious psychotherapists should read this book, January 25, 2000

By 

S. Joy "Look Listen Learn" (New Haven, Connecticut) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression: A Brief, Focused, Specific Strategy (Master Work) (Paperback)

This is basically a "how-to" manual detailing one of the few "empirically validated treatments" for major depression - i.e., a treatment that really, truly helps. Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is as effective as either Beck's cognitive therapy or antidepressant medications. Since every therapist encounters depression on a regular basis, how can you justify ignorance of this (short-term!) approach? The book is readable and well organized; someone already trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy could probably improve clinical practice based on the book along, though specialized training would surely be helpful as well. The approach makes sense to patients, too!