Psychodynamic and Interpersonal Psychotherapies

This chapter focuses on two widely used treatments for depression: dynamic therapy (DT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Although each has its unique theoretical conceptualization of depression and offers relatively distinct techniques to facilitate change within depressed patients, both center on adverse and disruptive interpersonal relationships with underlying maladaptive repetitive patterns and interpersonal schemas as main contributors to depression. In this chapter, we describe how each orientation conceptualizes depression, elaborate on specific techniques each treatment orientation offers, and summarize the available research on the efficacy of each paradigm for bringing about therapeutic change in depressed patients. We also review the literature on moderators of, and candidate mechanisms underlying, these documented effects. Finally, we discuss what is known and what is yet to be learned about DT and IPT for depression.