Mindfulness Therapy for Maladaptive Interpersonal Dependency: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.

A mindfulness-based therapy for maladaptive interpersonal dependency (MT-MID) produced larger improvements than a minimal contact control on five outcomes—mindfulness, maladaptive dependency, helplessness, fears of negative evaluation, and excessive reassurance seeking—at both posttreatment and a 4-week follow-up. Median effect sizes were large (d=1.61 at posttreatment, d=1.51 at follow-up). Clinically significant change occurred in 56.5% of MT-MID participants at posttreatment and 42.9% at follow-up, versus 0% in the control group. Increases in mindfulness appeared to mediate the dependency improvements. The results offer preliminary support for this mindfulness-based approach.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Existing treatments for maladaptive interpersonal dependency and dependent personality disorder do not meet basic scientific standards for effectiveness. The present investigation tested the efficacy of a mindfulness-based approach: mindfulness therapy for maladaptive interpersonal dependency (MT-MID). Forty-eight participants who reported consistently high levels of maladaptive dependency (i.e., scored higher than 1 standard deviation above the mean on the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory at two separate assessments) were randomized to either 5 sessions of MT-MID or a minimal contact control. Five self-reported outcomes (mindfulness, maladaptive interpersonal dependency, helplessness, fears of negative evaluation, and excessive reassurance seeking) were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and a 4-week follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that MT-MID yielded greater improvements than the control on all 5 outcomes at posttreatment (median d=1.61) and follow-up (median d=1.51). Participants assigned to MT-MID were more likely than control participants to meet criteria for clinically significant change at posttreatment (56.5% vs. 0%) and follow-up (42.9% vs. 0%). There was also evidence that increases in mindfulness mediated the dependency-related improvements. These results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of a mindfulness-based approach for treating the symptoms of maladaptive dependency.