Objectives: This study was carried out to investigate what are the precipitating interpersonal problems for the Korean depressed patients. For this purpose, the author examined that the four problem areas of the Interpersonal Psychotherapy
of
depression(IPT) ; giref, interpersonal dispute, role transition, interpersonal deficit are frequently appeared in and precipitate depression of the Korean depressed patients. And the author also examined what “other interpersonal problems” not
included in the above four problem areas are associated with Korean depressed patients.
Methods: The author examined interpersonal situations during the past 6 months for the depressed outpatient group(n=59) and the normal control group (n=60) with the instrument that the author developed based on the four problem areas of
the
Interpersonal Psychotherapy of depression (IPT). Both groups were asked whether they had any of the four problem areas of IPT ; grief, interpersonal dispute, role transition, and interpersonal deficit. In addition, it was asked to both groups
whether
they had “other interpersonal problems” not included in the four problem areas of IPT. If they had the above problem, it was asked how severe the problems were, how the problems were relevant the their depression or mood and what the problems
were.
Results: The results of this study were as follows :
1) There were significantly more people in the patient group than in the control group who answered that each of the interpersonal dispute, the role transition, and interpersonal deficit was their “meaningful” interpersonal problem. Although
the
difference was not significant, there were more people in the patient group than in the control group who answered that the bereavement with significant others was their “meaningful” interpersonal problem.
2) Of 59 people in the patient group, 11 people said that nothing in the four problem areas was their “meaningful” interpersonal problem and 10 people of the above 11 people said they did not have any meaningful “other interpersonal problems”
as
well.
3) There were significantly more people in the patient group than in the control group who answered that they had meaningful “other interpersonal problems”. However, after reviewing the contents of their responses, most of them could be
included
in
the four problem areas.
Conclusions: This study can be concluded as follows :
Grief, interpersonal dispute, role transition, and interpersonal deficit are all interpersonal problems that frequently appeared in and precipitate depression of the Korean depressed patients. It cannot be concluded whether the Korean depressed
patients
have “other interpersonal problems” not included in the above four problem areas because of the limitation of the self-reporting instrument used in this study.
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