A Mixed-Methods Examination of Patterns of Response and Nonresponse in Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy

OBJECTIVE: Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been found to be an effective therapeutic approach for improving depressive symptoms, but little is known about the therapeutic processes associated with these benefits. This study aimed to further understand the therapeutic processes involved in group IPT (IPT-G) by thematically analyzing participant contributions and comparing themes across those whose depressive symptoms were responsive or unresponsive to treatment. METHODS: Using data from a pilot trial of IPT-G for college students with mild to moderate depressive symptoms, the present study conducted reflexive thematic analysis on group psychotherapy transcripts and detailed session notes to generate themes of participant (N=9) contributions. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were conducted to explore differences in patterns of theme expression between those whose elevated depressive symptoms responded or did not respond to treatment and those who maintained initially mild symptoms. RESULTS: Across participants, 31 codes embedded within six themes emerged from the reflexive thematic analysis. ANOVA findings revealed no significant differences between responders, nonresponders, and maintainers, but effect sizes suggested distinctions. CONCLUSIONS: By identifying trends in content shared by responders, nonresponders, and maintainers, the study provides further information on treatment-specific response patterns of those participating in IPT-G and can aid clinicians and researchers in developing and tailoring treatments for individuals struggling with interpersonal relationships and depressive disorders.