People with psychological problems almost always experience difficulties with interpersonal relationships and communication. Are interpersonal difficulties simply the result of psychological disturbance, or can they also precipitate and maintain psychopathology? This book provides an in-depth analysis of interpersonal theories and research findings on frequently encountered mental health problems. It integrates results from hundreds of studies on parent child relations, marital interaction, personal relationships, communication, and related areas. The focus is on elucidating the role of interpersonal difficulties in the development and persistence of the full range of major psychological disorders: depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, anxiety, alcoholism, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. In the process, the book provides the most comprehensive discussion to date of the interpersonal paradigm in mental health.

This volume brings together leading investigators who integrate two distinct research domains in social psychology--people's internal worlds and their close relationships. Contributors present compelling findings on the bidirectional interplay between internal processes, such as self-esteem and self-regulation, and relationship processes, such as how positively partners view each other, whether they are dependent on each other, and the level of excitement in the relationship. Methodological challenges inherent in studying these complex issues are described in depth, as are implications for understanding broader aspects of psychological functioning and well-being.

Modern interpersonal psychology is now at a point where recent advances need to be organized so that researchers, practitioners, and students can understand what is new, different, and state-of-the art. This field-defining volume examines the history of interpersonal psychology and explores influential theories of normal-abnormal behaviors, widely-used assessment measures, recent methodological advances, and current interpersonal strategies for changing problematic behaviors. Featuring original contributions from field luminaries including Aaron Pincus, John Clarkin, David Buss, Louis Castonguay, and Theodore Millon, this cutting-edge volume will appeal to academicians, professionals, and students interested in the study of normal and abnormal interpersonal behavior.

This book presents the most important contributions to modern psychological science and explains how the contributions came to be.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems presents a complete treatment protocol for therapists working with clients who repeatedly fall into unhealthy patterns in their relationships with friends, family members, coworkers, and romantic partners. These clients may blame others, withdraw when feeling threatened, react defensively in conflicts, or have a deep-seated sense of distrust—all interpersonal problems that damage relationships and cause enormous suffering. This book presents an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) approach—utilizing a schema-based formulation—to help these clients overcome maladaptive interpersonal behavior. First, clients learn how schema avoidance behavior damages their relationships. Second, clients face “creative hopelessness” and practice new mindfulness skills. Third, clients examine what they value in their relationships and what they hope to gain from them, and translate their values into clear intentions for acting differently in the future. And lastly, clients face the cognitive and emotional barriers standing between them and values-based behavior in their relationships. By learning to act on their values instead of falling into schema-influenced patterns, clients can eventually overcome the interpersonal problems that hold them back.

This authoritative handbook provides a cutting-edge overview of classic and current research as well as an assessment of future trends in the field of interpersonal processes. Ensures thorough and up-to-date coverage of all aspects of interpersonal processes Includes contributions by academics and other experts from around the world to ensure a truly international perspective Provides a comprehensive overview of classic and current research and likely future trends Fully referenced chapters and annotated bibliographies allow easy access to further study Now available in full text online via xreferplus, the award-winning reference library on the web from xrefer. For more information, visit www.xreferplus.com

Cognitive therapy, with its clear-cut measurable techniques, has been a welcome innovation in recent years. However, the very specificity that lends itself so well to research and training has minimized the role of the therapeutic relationship, making it difficult for therapists to respond flexibly to different clinical situations. What is needed is an approach that focuses on the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic change, not just on interventions. In this practical and original book, two highly respected clinician-researchers integrate findings from cognitive psychology, infant developmental research, emotion theory, and relational therapy to show how change takes place in the interpersonal context of the therapeutic relationship and involves experiencing the self in new ways, not just altering behavior or cognitions. Making use of extensive clinical transcripts accompanied by moment-to-moment analyses of the change process, the authors illustrate the subtle interaction of cognitive and interpersonal factors. They show how therapy unfolds at three different levels—in fluctuations in the patient's world, in the therapeutic relationship, and in the therapist's inner experience—and provide clear guidelines for when to focus on a particular level. The result is a superb integration of cognitive and interpersonal approaches that will have a major impact on theory and practice. A Jason Aronson Book