IPT Research Leads

The aim of this role is to disseminate up to date research to our members and develop and support IPT research within the UK.  If you are interested in IPT research, please do get in touch to see how we can support you with this.

Dr Fiona Duffy
Fiona Duffy is a Lecturer at Edinburgh University and a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in NHS Lothian CAMHS.  She carries out research in in the development and treatment of eating disorders in adolescents, with a specific interest in interpersonal risk and maintaining factors.  She is involved in the development of preventative IPT body image groups for adolescents and a recent IPT-A meta-analysis

UK BASED RESEARCH:
Current IPT Research Projects in the UK

​Adolescent Research

Interpersonal Counselling for Adolescents:
Dr Paul Wilkinson, University Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cambridge Department of Psychiatry: pow12@cam.ac.uk

1. Qualitative and quantitative pilot of interpersonal counselling by youth workers:
Wilkinson, Cestaro, Pinchen (2018). Pilot mixed-methods evaluation of interpersonal
counselling for young people with depressive symptoms in non-specialist services. Evidence
Based Mental Health, 21 (4).
2. Quantitative comparison of IPC by youth workers supervised by youth workers vs supervised by psychologist. Status: data being collected
3. Pilot RCT of IPC vs treatment as usual, from youth workers. Status: Recruitment currently paused due to COVID-19. This will include quantitative and qualitative process evaluation.

IPT for Body Image in Adolescents:
Dr Fiona Duffy, Dr Helen Sharpe, Professor Cathy Richards. Edinburgh University Clinical Psychology Department: Fiona.duffy@ed.ac.uk.

1. Pilot school based preventative intervention for body image difficulties in adolescents (IPT-BI). Status, three pilot groups run with qualitative and quantitative evaluation.
Duffy F, Sharpe H, Beveridge E, Osborne K, Richards C. Mixed methods pilot evaluation of interpersonal psychotherapy for body image for adolescents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. October 2020. Click here to view. 
2. Open trial of IPT-BI. Status: grant in submission

Antenatal Depression
Dr Jenny Ingram, University of Bristol, Debbbie Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Health O’Mahen, David Kessler. Hazel Taylor. Roslyn Law, Jeff Round, Jenny Ford, Rebecca Hopley, Joel Glynn, Iryna Culpin and Jonathan Evans.
1. Feasibility randomised trial comparing Interpersonal Counselling and CBT in pregnant women with depression. Trial ongoing, open access trial protocol available by clicking here.

IPT for trauma/BPD 
Dr Melanie Temple, Consultant Psychiatrist& Psychotherapist, The Retreat, York

1. Pilot of newly developed IPT skills group on a specialist inpatient service for patients with complex borderline PD comorbid with others disorders such as complex PTSD & Dissociative Disorders.
Status: pilot evaluation being undertaken in inpatient with aim of potential community trial alongside supplemental individual IPT appointments.

IPT Research Methodology
1. Dr Fiona Duffy, Dr Helen Sharpe, Roslyn Law. Registration, Dissemination and Reporting of Clinical Trials in Interpersonal Psychotherapy over 20 years. In development. Research protocol available shortly.

UK Based Research or Collaborations 5 years of publications

Duffy F, Sharpe H, Beveridge E, Osborne K, Richards C. Mixed methods pilot evaluation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for body image for adolescents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. October 2020.
Open access available: Click here to view.

Duffy, F., Sharpe, H., & Schwannauer, M. (2019). The effectiveness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for adolescents with depression–a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Child and adolescent mental health, 24(4), 307-317.
Open access available: Click here to view

Parhiala, P., Ranta, K., Gergov, V. et al. Interpersonal Counseling in the Treatment of Adolescent Depression: A Randomized Controlled Effectiveness and Feasibility Study in School Health and Welfare Services. School Mental Health 12, 265–283 (2020).
Open access copy available: Click here to view.

Rose-Clarke, K., Pradhan, I., Shrestha, P. et al. Culturally and developmentally adapting group Interpersonal Therapy for adolescents with depression in rural Nepal. BMC Psychol 8, 83 (2020).
Open access available. Click here to view. 

Wilkinson, P. O., Cestaro, V., & Pinchen, I. (2018). Pilot mixed-methods evaluation of interpersonal counselling for young people with depressive symptoms in non-specialist services. Evidence-based mental health, 21(4), 134-138.
Open access available. Click here to view.