Depathologizing dependency.

Abstract

For nearly a century psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals have emphasized the maladaptive, problematic aspects of dependent personality traits. In this article, I review theoretical frameworks that have played a key role in pathologizing dependency, and then describe empirical findings which indicate that dependency is not simply a flaw or deficit in functioning but is also associated with a variety of healthy, adaptive traits, and behaviors. The theoretical, empirical, and clinical implications of depathologizing dependency are discussed.