Dependent personality disorder

Dependent personality disorder
SpecialtyPsychiatry, clinical psychology
SymptomsAvoidance of decision-making, fear of abandonment, passive and/or clingy behavior, low social boundaries, oversensitivity to criticism
ComplicationsCodependent or abusive relationships
Risk factorsOverprotective strict parenting or authoritarian parenting
Differential diagnosisBorderline personality disorder, Separation anxiety, Avoidant personality disorder
TreatmentPsychotherapy

Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive dependence on other people and subsequent submissiveness and clinginess. This personality disorder is a long-term condition in which people depend on others to meet their emotional and physical needs. Individuals with DPD often struggle to make independent decisions and seek constant reassurance from others. This dependence can result in a tendency to prioritize the needs and opinions of others over their own.

In the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR; 2022), dependent personality disorder is classified as a cluster C ("anxious or fearful") personality disorder. There was a diagnostic category for DPD in the previous revision of the International classification of Diseases, ICD-10; but the ICD-11 no longer has distinct diagnoses for personality disorders.