Related Experiment Videos
Codependence, narcissism, and childhood trauma
1Department of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Codependence is not predicted by childhood trauma, and its relationship with narcissism is more complex than previously thought. These findings challenge the established theories of codependence and its therapeutic applications.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Personality Studies
Background:
- Codependence has been theorized as a result of childhood adversity, such as parental alcoholism or abuse.
- A complementary developmental relationship between codependent traits and narcissism has also been proposed in existing literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between codependence, childhood trauma, and narcissism in Australian adults.
- To examine the predictive validity of childhood trauma on codependence.
- To explore the complexity of the relationship between codependence and narcissism.
Main Methods:
- 190 Australian adults participated in the study.
- Participants completed several validated questionnaires: Codependency Inventory, Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Narcissistic Personality Disorder scale, Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, and Survey of Traumatic Childhood Events.
Main Results:
- Codependence was not found to be predictable by childhood trauma.
- A relationship between codependence and narcissism was identified, but it was more intricate than anticipated.
- The study's findings challenge the theoretical foundations of codependence.
Conclusions:
- The theoretical underpinnings of codependence are significantly weakened by these results.
- Caution is advised in the psychotherapeutic application of the codependence concept.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the nuances of codependence and its relationship with narcissism and trauma.