Volume 25, Issue 3
Systemic Couple Therapy for Depression: Changes in interpersonal perception
Abstract
This study explores the relation between interpersonal perception and reduction of depressive symptoms in systemic couple’s therapy. Based on a sample of thirteen couples in which one member is suffering depression, we assessed interpersonal perception using the Couple’s Grid, as well as dyadic adjustment before and after undergoing a manualized systemic couple therapy for depression. Results suggested that certain changes in perceived and metaperceived similarity, empathic accuracy and communality on view of self, especially on the part of the non-depressed spouses, were related to patient’s clinical changes. These findings can contribute to identify mechanisms of change in couple therapy for depression.
Keywords
Depression, interpersonal perception, couple therapy, systemic therapy, dyadic adjustment