INTERPERSONAL THERAPY FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY

DISORDER
Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is a 12- to 16-week treatment program originally
developed for depression. IPT was created by Gerald Klerman and Myrna
Weissman in the 1980s.
Interpersonal therapy has been shown effective in the treatment of eating
disorders and bipolar disorder. Given that one-third of patients with social anxiety
disorder (SAD) do not respond to medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy
(CBT), and because of the interpersonal nature of SAD, interpersonal therapy is
now being considered as a potential treatment alternative.
IPT is a highly structured treatment focused on the social context of mental health
disorders. A major goal of treatment is to improve an individual's interpersonal
functioning.
Stages of Interpersonal Therapy
IPT generally progresses through three phases consisting of weekly treatment
sessions.
Phase 1: (Sessions 1 - 3) during phase 1, therapist will identify the interpersonal
areas in patient’s life that need attention. This includes taking an inventory of all
the key relationships in their life, and the main areas of interpersonal difficulties,
such as being socially avoidant or non-assertive.
Phase 2: (Sessions 4 - 14) therapist will address the problems in patient’s
relationships.
Phase 3: (Sessions 15 - 16) in the final phase, therapist will discuss and review
their progress and prepare them for the end of therapy.
Areas of Intervention
In the interpersonal therapy model of depression, four areas are usually
addressed during treatment: interpersonal disputes, role transitions, grief, and
interpersonal deficits. Below are the key aspects of each area.
Interpersonal Disputes: The therapist will identify problems with communication
and teach the patients problem-solving strategies for their relationships.
Role Transitions: The therapist will help them find solutions to deal with
problems in adapting to new circumstances.
Grief: If grief over a death or another loss has played a role in their difficulties, it
will be explored.
Interpersonal Deficits: The therapist will help them to identify problems in the
way that they relate to others. If someone are lacking interpersonal relationships
in their life, therapist will use the relationship between them and him/her as a
basis for exploring difficulties and will help them learn how to develop new
relationships.
Research on IPT for Social Anxiety Disorder
Research into the use of interpersonal therapy with SAD is still in its infancy. In
one small study of 9 patients with SAD, 78% were rated as having much or very
much improved symptoms after treatment with IPT. Patients also gave concrete
examples of positive changes after therapy, such as finding a new job, returning
to school, or dating.
In a critical review, interpersonal therapy was found to show better outcomes for
SAD than psychodynamic psychotherapy, but lesser outcomes compared to
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
IPT for SAD has even been delivered through mobile devices (mIPT); however,
findings show that interpersonal therapy delivered in this type of self-help format
is less effective compared to mCBT.
Although IPT appears promising as a treatment for SAD, much more research is
needed. In particular, researchers have noted that interpersonal therapy may
require further modification to make it applicable to anxiety disorders.