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Codependency: A disorder separate from chemical dependency
Author(s) -
O'Brien Patrick E.,
Gaborit Mauricio
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(199201)48:1<129::aid-jclp2270480118>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - psychology , beck depression inventory , dependency (uml) , feeling , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , developmental psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , anxiety , systems engineering , engineering , economics , macroeconomics
This study examined the relationship between codependency (an excessive preoccupation with the lives, feelings, and problems of others), chemical dependency of a significant other, and depression. The Significant Others' Drug Use Survey (SODS) determined whether the subject was in a relationship with a significant other at risk of being chemically dependent. Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression. Two hypotheses were tested: first, that codependency exists independently of chemical dependency and, second, that codependent people tend to be more depressed than non‐codependents. Results supported the first hypothesis, but not the second. A significant correlation between depression and having a significant other likely to be chemically dependent was observed. The usefulness of the concept of codependency is discussed with proposals for subsequent research.