Codependency: An Interpersonal Phenomenon

In the popular and clinical lit, codependency has been defined as a disease (Wegscheider-Cruse, 1985), a personality disorder (Cermak, 1986), and a maladaptive way of relating to others (Fischer, Spann, & Crawford, 1991). These definitions and descriptions of codependency in the typically emanate from a linear perspective of individual pathology, yet the construct is interpersonal in nature and does not exist in isolation. From a social-psychological position, clinical and popular models of codependency rich person overlooked the impact of the interpersonal environment on codependent behaviour and on judgments of codependency. A mortal exhibiting behaviors such as across-responsibility for others and neglect of 1's own needs whitethorn be viewed differently in th View the rest of this article