Personal Journeys with Interpersonal Group Therapy: Qualitative Exploration of Experiences of People Facing Depression in the City of Mosul, Iraq

Interpersonal therapy is a widely used treatment, yet much remains to be explored about its acceptability, cultural appropriateness, and mechanisms of change in different cultural contexts, especially from the first-person perspective of participants. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences with Interpersonal Group therapy (IPT-G), among participants who met criteria for depression in the city of Mosul, Iraq. We conducted 32 semi-structured interviews (53.13% female; Mage=28.4) with previous participants in IPT-G. Their general perspectives, experiences with techniques and group format, and perceived outcomes, with particular focus on the beneficial and challenging aspects, were explored. The thematic analysis revealed that IPT-G provides a space for sharing, emotional support, learning valuable skills, and meeting new people, which all facilitates positive changes in participants’ lives. The therapy, however, also evoked feelings of discomfort, and was to some extent experienced as a demanding and monotonous activity. In essence, IPT-G embeds well in the local context and is experienced as positive and useful, but effects of contextual and cultural factors need to be considered during implementation to enhance effectiveness and acceptability.