Sex Roles

, Volume 30, Issue 9–10, pp 631–645 | Cite as

Codependency and gender-stereotyped traits

  • Gloria Cowan
  • Lynda W. Warren
Article

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between gender, positive and negative gender stereotyped traits, and eight codependency scales among 339 female and 115 male college students. The majority (63%) of the participants were Caucasian. Based on a feminist critique, we expected that women would be more codependent than men, both positive and negative female-stereotyped traits would be associated with codependency, and positive male-stereotyped traits would be inversely related to codependency. Gender differences were found on two of eight codependency measures. The negative femininity scales were strongly and consistently associated with the codependency measures, whereas the positive femininity scale was associated with only one codependency scale in the codependent direction. Positive masculinity was inversely related to codependency on six codependency scales. These findings suggest that codependency does not overlap with valued female-stereotyped traits, but rather with negative feminine traits devalued in both women and men.

Keywords

Gender Difference College Student Social Psychology Male College Feminist Critique 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Basow, S. A. (1992).Gender Stereotypes and roles (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
  2. Beattie, M. (1987).Codependent no more. New York: Harper/Hazeldon.Google Scholar
  3. Beck, W. H. (1991).William Beck Assessment Scale Manual. Chicago, IL: Administrative Services.Google Scholar
  4. Brown, L. (1990). What's addiction got to do with it: A feminist critique of codependence.Newsletter of Division 35, American Psychological Association, 17(1), 3–4.Google Scholar
  5. Cermak, T. L. (1986).Diagnosing and treating co-dependence. Minneapolis, MN: Johnson Institute Books.Google Scholar
  6. Chesler, P. (1989).Women and madness (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.Google Scholar
  7. Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24 349–354.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Faludi, S. (1991).Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. New York: Crown Publishers.Google Scholar
  9. Hagan, K. (1989). Codependency and the myth of recovery: A feminist scrutiny.Fugitive Information, 1 1–11.Google Scholar
  10. Harper, J., & Capdevila, C. (1990). Codependency: A critique.Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 22(3), 285–292.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. Helmreich, R. L., Spence, J. T., & Wilhelm, J. A. (1981). A psychometric analysis of the Personal Attributes Questionnaire.Sex Roles, 7 1097–1109.Google Scholar
  12. Jack, D. C., (1991).Silencing the self: women and depression. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
  13. Kaminer, W. (1990, Feb. 11). Chances are you're codependent too.The New York Times Book Review, 1 3–4.Google Scholar
  14. Kasl, C. D. (1989).Women, sex, and addiction. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar
  15. Katz, S. J., & Liu, A. E. (1991).The codependency conspiracy. New York: Warner Books.Google Scholar
  16. Krestan, J. (1991). The baby and the bathwater. In T. J. Goodrich (Ed.),Women and power (pp. 229–233). New York: Norton.Google Scholar
  17. Krestan, J., & Bepko, C. (1990). Codependency: The social reconstruction of female experience.Smith College Studies in Social work, 60 216–232.Google Scholar
  18. Lyon, D., & Greenberg, J. (1991). Evidence of codependency in women with an alcoholic parent: Helping out Mr. Wrong.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61 435–439.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Mendenhall, W. (1989). Co-dependency definitions and dynamics.Alcoholism Quarterly, 6 3–17.Google Scholar
  20. Miller, J. B. (1976).Toward a new psychology of women. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.Google Scholar
  21. Potter-Efron, R. T., & Potter-Efron, P. S. (1989). Outpatient co-dependency treatment. Special issue: Co-dependency: Issues in treatment and recovery.Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 6(1), 151–167.Google Scholar
  22. Schaef, A. W. (1986).Codependence: Misunderstood-mistreated. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
  23. Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. I. (1991). Personal communication.Google Scholar
  24. Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R. I., & Holahan, C. K. (1979). Negative and positive components of psychological masculinity and femininity and their relationship to self-reports of neurotic and acting out behaviors.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37 1673–1682.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. Tavris, C. (1992).The mismeasure of woman. NY: Simon & Schuster.Google Scholar
  26. van Wormer, K. (1989). Co-dependency: Implications for women and therapy.Women & Therapy, 8(4), 51–63.Google Scholar
  27. Whitley, B. E., Jr. (1984). Sex-role orientation and psychological well-being: Two meta-analyses.Sex Roles, 12 207–225.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Plenum Publishing Corporation 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • Gloria Cowan
    • 1
  • Lynda W. Warren
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PsychologyCalifornia State UniversitySan BernardinoUSA

Personalised recommendations