Dependent Personality Disorder

Individuals have needs to be taken care of and leads to a desire of clinging behavior and fears of being separated.

Video Cliphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=hO6kaMiUrOg

Associated FeaturesDifficulty making decisions on their own

without advice from others.

Examples of making their own decisions are how to…

Dress

Act

Talk

Associated Features Characteristics for Adults

Depend on others to take responsibility for their own lives.

Example:

A man cannot make a decision each day on how to dress up without the help of his life partner.

What kind of job to seek

Who to associate with

And how to plan his life

Associated FeaturesCharacteristics for Teenagers

Depend on their parents…

Who to hang out with

What school to attend

How to spend their free time

What occupation to have in the future.

Associated FeaturesGeneral Characteristics

Individuals are seen to be “clingy”. Meaning they have to be with someone or feel some form of attachment to others.

Feel despondent and abandoned.

Agreeing with others opinions instead of their own.

Throw themselves wholeheartedly into relationships.

EtiologyPsychodynamic Theory

Potential Causes of Dependent Personality Disorder.

Having regressed to or become fixated in the oral stage development.

Parental over indulgence.

Parental neglect of dependency needs.

EtiologyObject Relation Theorists

These theorists sees this disorder as being insecurely attached.

Ex. Having low self-esteem & relying on others.

According to the Family Environment Scale, researches found that people with this disorder tend to have high ratings of the factor of control but low ratings on factor of independence.

PrevalenceOne of the most frequently diagnosed personality

disorders.

More women than man have been found to have D.P.D.

TreatmentPsychotherapy

Individual Sessions

Practice increasing levels of independence in carrying out daily activities.

Learning how to identify certain deficit skills, and having the ability to better perform them.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Focus on patterns of thinking to help counteract the disorder.

TreatmentMedication includes…

Antidepressants

Sedatives

Tranquilizers.

PrognosisIts not known for much improvements, but there

is minor changes in the symptoms that these individuals may have that can better their lifestyles in dealing with this disorder.

Ex. Of improvements are…

Difficulty being alone

Ability to make their own decisions

Building self-confidence

Discussion QuestionLooking at adolescents today, what impact or

significance does Dependent Personality Disorder have on our society?

References(2000-2011). Cleveland clinic. Retrieved from

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/personality_disorders/hic_depedent_personality_disorder.spx

(1991_2011).Dependent Personality Disorder/Psychology Today. Retrieved From http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/dependent-personality-disorder