Psychodynamics and the Functional Maintenance of Dependent Behavior

Knowledge of what causes excessive dependency to develop and continue into adulthood should inform the selection of treatment. The studies described here offer some hypotheses and findings to this end.

Kagan and Moss found a high correlation between passive and dependent behaviors at ages 6-10 years and their continuation into young adulthood. This was true across a broad array of dependent behaviors for women, whereas it was more limited for men: dependent behavior around childhood tasks correlated with a dependent vocational choice in adulthood. The authors suggested that these sex differences were cultural because American society punishes dependent behavior in males but rewards it in females.

Whitman et al. suggested that an individual may become passive whenever dependent needs are stimulated if the person finds these needs unacceptable in the situation because of either a neurotic sense of guilt or external frustration. As a secondary effect of frustration, the individual may become demanding in minor ways.

Millon suggested that dependent individuals have had their independence stifled by oversolicitous, controlling parents who discourage seeking rewards outside the family. Because dependent individuals have had a relatively good relationship with at least one parent, anxiety experienced in situations requiring independent action is counterbalanced by the expectation that someone will step in to help. The expectation of criticism for making independent decisions, taking action, or venturing into new activities further stifles independence. Instead of channeling hostile feelings into assertive behavior, dependent individuals often smooth over troubles by acting in an especially friendly, helpful, and concerned manner. In a study of the family environment, Head et al. found some support for Millon's hypotheses in that the individuals with dependent personality disorder reported that their families were low in expressiveness and high in control. Baker et al. found that individuals with dependent personality disorder reported early family environments that were lower in encouraging independence and higher in control over the subject than in family environments of nondependent control subjects and lower in achievement and intellectual-cultural orientation than were the environments of individuals with histrionic personality disorder.