Reassessing the codependency movement: a response to Sorrentino

The literature on codependency has had a profound effect upon drug abuse counselors and the clients they serve. Originally derived from the alcoholism treatment field, the codependency concept is increasingly noted in the health care administration literature. Interventions such as employee assessment and counseling programs have been suggested by Sorrentino and others as ways to prevent the negative outcomes of codependent behavior among employees in health care organizations. A reassessment of the literature over the last decade, however, does not support the codependency concept or the treatment formats. Recommendations for health services administrators are subsequently offered.