Dependent Personality Disorder in People Coping with Grief or Loss

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? NE
Is it more common among people coping with grief or loss? Loss of a major attachment figure can expose dependency, but does not create DPD
Are people coping with grief or loss at higher risk? No evidence bereavement causes DPD
How much higher is the risk? NE
How often can it be missed? High
Does it show up differently among people coping with grief or loss? Yes contextually
How might it look different? Bereavement can produce temporary helplessness; longstanding inability to function independently suggests something different
What commonly occurs alongside it? Depression; prolonged grief; anxiety
What can it be confused with? Normal grief; prolonged grief; separation anxiety; depression
Common screening tool DPQ — Dependent Personality Questionnaire
Separate screening tool for people coping with grief or loss None

Most often taken Self-Assessments

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