Psychological interventions psychotherapies

As mentioned in chapter 2, individuals particular personality style and unique psychodynamics will often dramatically influence how they respond to pharmacotherapy. Robert Michaels (1992) has commented that in general clinical practice two-thirds of patients with Axis I disorders appear to respond quite well either to medication treatment or to brief, targeted psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal therapy. However, a significant minority of patients with clear-cut Axis I disorders don t respond well to such treatments, primarily due to serious co-morbid character pathology. In treating these people, at the very least the clinician must be alert to how personality factors influence treatment outcome often medication treatment must be accompanied by more intensive psychotherapy that addresses the personality disorder. 

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IP)—IP is a psychological intervention that focuses on interpersonal relationships and psychosocial functioning. 

Chapter 12 Psychological interventions Psychoeducation Explaining psychotherapies Brief interventions References Further reading Information on therapies ... 

Prout, S. M., DeMartino, R. A., Prout, H. T. (1999). Ethical and legal issues in psychological interventions with children and adolescents. In H. T. Prout D. T. Brown (Eds.), Counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents Theory and practice for school and clinical settings [3rd ed., pp. 26-48). New York Wiley. 

Like many other psychiatric and medical disorders, bipolar disorder is not curable, but it is certainly treatable. Its clinical symptoms can be controlled, modified, and even silenced. Successful treatment must combine drug therapy, psychotherapy, and psychoeducation. More and more frequently, treatment is provided by a team that, at a minimnm, includes a physician—usually a psychiatrist—and a therapist. Whenever possible, treatment should involve the patient s immediate family (sponse, parents, and children). Although medication is the core intervention, it is widely recognized that a number of psychological variables can inflnence the course of the disorder and the patient s adherence to treatment. 

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