Definition
Interpersonal dependency is a fairly stable personality trait characterized by the tendency to rely on others for nurturance, support, and guidance.
Introduction
Interpersonal dependency is a complex, multifaceted personality trait that has adaptive and maladaptive variants (Bornstein et al. 2003; Bornstein 2005). Both adaptive and maladaptive forms of dependency involve relying on others for nurturance, support, and/or guidance. However, healthy dependency is marked by behavior flexibility, wherein the individual relies on others when the situation is appropriate and engages in self-reliance when autonomous functioning is required. These individuals tend to see themselves as competent, and they develop strong, secure bonds with significant others. Individuals with adaptive dependency have insight into their dependent behavior and are able to...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Bornstein, R. F. (2005). The dependent patient: A practitioner’s guide. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Bornstein, R. F. (2012). Illuminating a neglected clinical issue: Societal costs of interpersonal dependency and dependent personality disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68, 766–781.
Bornstein, R. F., Languirand, M. A., Geiselman, K. J., Creighton, J. A., West, M. A., Gallagher, H. A., & Eisenhart, E. A. (2003). Construct validity of the relationship profile test: A self-report measure of dependency-detachment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 80, 64–74.
Disney, K. L. (2013). Dependent personality disorder: A critical review. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 1184–1196.
McClintock, A. S., & Anderson, T. (2015). The application of mindfulness for interpersonal dependency: Effects of a brief intervention. Mindfulness, 6, 243–252.
McClintock, A. S., Anderson, T., & Cranston, S. (2015a). Mindfulness therapy for maladaptive interpersonal dependency: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. Behavior Therapy, 46, 856–868.
McClintock, A.S., McCarrick, S.M., Anderson, T., Himawan, L., Hirschfeld, R. (2015b). Development and validation of a six-item version of the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory. Assessment, 1–11, doi:10.1177/1073191115605178.
Morgan, T. A., & Clark, L. A. (2010). Passive-submissive and active-emotional trait dependency: Evidence for a two-factor model. Journal of Personality, 78, 1325–1352.
Pincus, A. L., & Wilson, K. R. (2001). Interpersonal variability in dependent personality. Journal of Personality, 69, 223–251.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
McClintock, A.S., McCarrick, S.M. (2016). Interpersonal Dependency. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1062-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1062-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences