Book excerpt: 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.