Postpartum depression (PPD) is a state of mood disorder that affects individuals within 1 year after childbirth and is defined under the term perinatal depression according to DSM-V. PPD may have negative effects on women's social adjustment and work skills and may increase the risk of chronic depression. In addition, PPD is associated with an increased risk of maternal self-suicide. Therefore, determining the prevalence of PPD and understanding its risk factors is important for its prevention and treatment (Liu et al., 2022). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while 10% of women experience mental health problems, especially depression, in the pre-pregnancy period, this rate reaches 13% in the postpartum period (WHO, 2015). The global incidence of PPD is reported to be 12% in women without a history of depression (Shorey et al., 2018). In the literature, problem areas related to interpersonal communication such as low social support, poor family relationships and marital relationships have been shown to be risk factors for PPD (Dennis et al., 2020). In the treatment management of PPD, communication regulation-oriented approaches such as strong partner support (Ruan and Wu, 2024), EFT (Güdücü and Özcan, 2023), laughter therapy (Kıyak and Kocoglu-Tanyer, 2024) and interpersonal psychotherapy (Ngai and Lam, 2023) are prominent. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a time-limited, structured and attachment theory-based psychotherapy that focuses on interpersonal problems and symptomatic recovery. From a biopsychosocial perspective, PPD involves hormonal fluctuations, psychological vulnerability, and disruptions in social roles and relationships following childbirth. IPT's focus on interpersonal role transitions, emotional expression, and support network enhancement aligns closely with these multidimensional mechanisms, addressing both psychological distress and social adjustment challenges in postpartum women (Çetinay Aydın and Aydın, 2021; Sayar and Omay, 2019).

IPT focuses on the person's interpersonal relationship problems in four areas: grief, interpersonal conflicts, role changes and interpersonal skills deprivation (social isolation). IPT is an evidence-based treatment with demonstrated efficacy in some psychiatric disorders such as depression, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Sayar and Omay, 2019). Recent evidence also supports the effectiveness of IPT in alleviating postpartum depressive symptoms. For example, a randomized controlled trial conducted in Pakistan reported that postpartum women receiving eight sessions of individual-based IPT showed a significant reduction in depression severity compared to routine care (Arshad et al., 2024). However, despite growing evidence on the effectiveness of IPT in depressive disorders, studies specifically investigating its impact on postpartum depression remain limited and context-specific (Wang et al., 2023; Arshad et al., 2024). Addressing this gap, the present study aims to examine whether the application of interpersonal psychotherapy has an effect on postpartum depression symptoms.