Dependent personality disorder Sentence Examples

Persons affected by dependent personality disorder have a disproportionately low level of confidence in their own intelligence and abilities and have difficulty making decisions and undertaking projects on their own.

The criteria outlined here for dependent personality disorder is applicable to Americans only, and even then may not apply to all cultural groups within the United States.

Because children and adolescents are dependent on adults by necessity, dependent personality disorder is very rarely diagnosed in these age groups.

However, it should not be considered a potential symptom of dependent personality disorder unless the behavior becomes chronic and significantly interferes with day-to-day functioning and/or causes the child significant distress.

Older teens or young adults who have demonstrated at least five of the DSM-IV-TR criteria (or symptoms) outlined above are eligible for a diagnosis of dependent personality disorder.

In the DSM-IV-TR, the APA warns that a diagnosis of dependent personality disorder "should be used with great caution, if at all, in children and adolescents, for whom dependent behavior may be developmentally appropriate."

The primary treatment for dependent personality disorder is psychotherapy, with an emphasis on learning to cope with anxiety, developing assertiveness, and improving decision-making skills.

It is also believed that those diagnosed with dependent personality disorder are at an increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders.

There is no known prevention strategy for dependent personality disorder.

Parents of children who have been diagnosed with dependent personality disorder may wish to seek a second opinion from a trained psychologist or psychiatrist specializing in pediatric care.