Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents

Interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents (IPT-A; Mufson, Dorta, Moreau, and Weissman, 2004) is a time-limited psychotherapeutic intervention adapted from interpersonal psychotherapy for adults (IPT; Klerman, Weissman, Rounsaville, and Chevron, 1984; Weissman, Markowitz, and Klerman, 2000). There is a large body of research demonstrating the effi cacy of IPT for depressed adults (Weissman et al., 2000). IPT is based on the principle that, regardless of the underlying cause of the depression, the disorder occurs within an interpersonal context. It assumes that depression can negatively impact interpersonal relationships, and problematic relationships and social interactions can have negative effects on mood. The goal of IPT is to decrease depressive symptoms by focusing on current interpersonal dif? culties and helping the individual improve his or her relationships and interpersonal interactions.