Developments in interpersonal psychotherapy

Background: Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), a time-limited psychotherapy, was developed in the 1970s as a treatment for outpatient adults with major depression. It since has grown in its range of research applications and in its clinical accessibility. Method: Review of recent research and educational developments on IPT. Results: IPT has demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials for major depression in various patient populations and in patients with bulimia. It showed no advantages in treating 2 substance abuse samples. Numerous further studies are underway. Growing numbers of clinicians are learning IPT. Conclusions: At a time when both research developments and economic pressures are increasing interest in time-limited psychotherapies, IPT is expanding in both the research and clinical domains.