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Sudden gains in interpersonal psychotherapy for depression
Morgen A R Kelly1, Jill M Cyranowski, Ellen Frank
1Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. kellym2@upmc.edu
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|September 4, 2007
Summary
Sudden gains, or rapid improvements in depression, occurred in 33.5% of women receiving interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). These sudden improvements did not predict long-term recovery or remission in this study.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychotherapy Research
Background:
- Sudden gains (precipitous improvements) in depressive symptoms are linked to better outcomes in some therapies.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is an effective depression treatment, but its sudden gains are understudied.
- Understanding sudden gains may reveal psychotherapy mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the rates and characteristics of sudden gains in women undergoing IPT for recurrent depression.
- To explore the association between sudden gains and treatment outcomes in IPT.
Main Methods:
- Assessed sudden gains using Beck Depression Inventory criteria over 12 weeks of acute IPT.
- Studied 185 women with recurrent depression receiving IPT.
- Examined links between sudden gains and demographic/diagnostic factors, remission, and maintenance treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- Sudden gains occurred in 33.5% of the sample.
- Sudden gains were not associated with demographic or diagnostic features.
- Sudden gains did not predict remission during acute IPT or sustained recovery during maintenance treatment.
Conclusions:
- Sudden gains in IPT do not appear to influence remission or long-term recovery.
- Discrepancies in outcomes may stem from differing mechanisms between IPT and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Further research is needed to understand the role of sudden gains across different therapeutic modalities.
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