What is it about?
Counterdependency, a need to show that one does not need or want to depend on others, that one can take care of things oneself, is a common type of adaptation or psychological defense. This article presents a new self-report instrument to measure counterdependency, and shows counterdependency to be a significant factor contributing to postpartum depression.
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Why is it important?
Counterdependency is an important, under-appreciated part of American culture, with wide-ranging implications. It contributes to the United States' lagging other developed nations in supporting new parents, children, the sick and the poor. Postpartum Depression is a major public health problem that appears to be more common when counterdependency is highly valued; its presence leads mothers to put additional strain on themselves and to have little social support to rely on.
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This page is a summary of: A new instrument to assess counterdependency, evaluated in the context of postpartum depression., Psychoanalytic Psychology, January 2021, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/pap0000317.
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