Dependent Personality Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder & Sexual Deviance

I. Dependent Personality Disorder: these people have a pervasive, excessive need to be taken care of. The central feature of the disorder is a difficulty with separation. They are clinging and obedient, fearing separation from their loved ones. They rely on others so much that they cannot make the smallest decision for themselves. Many people with this disorder feel distressed, lonely, and sad. Often they dislike themselves. They are at risk for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and may be prone to suicidal thoughts and other forms of self-harm, such as cutting. They have a very strong external locus of control. Studies suggest that 2% of the population experience the disorder with men and women affected equally.

A. Family Perspective Children who are regularly discouraged from speaking their minds or exploring their environments may develop a dependent behavior pattern. Early parental loss or rejection may prevent normal experiences of attachment and separation, leaving some children with lingering fears of abandonment. Other theorists argue that parents were overinvolved and overprotective, increasing their children’s dependency. Parents of those with dependent personality disorder unintentionally rewarded their children’s clinging and “loyal” behavior while punishing acts of independence.

B. Father Figure: usually an older man, normally one with power, authority, or strength, with whom one can identify with on a deeply psychological level and who generates emotions generally felt towards one's father. C. Electra Complex: the belief that girls have a sexual interest in their father as a result of experiencing gender identification with their mother and are therefore competitively aggressive towards their mother for possession of their father.

II. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: people with this disorder are perfectionists (a.k.a. control freaks). They are inflexible in personal habits, demand orderliness, stick to established procedures and patterns, and are very detail oriented. They seek total control of themselves and their environment. They are meticulousness in work habits. They set unreasonably high standards for themselves and others and, fearing a mistake, may be afraid to make decisions.

They may have trouble expressing affection and their relationships are often stiff and superficial. They may exhibit extreme emotional outbursts to intimidate others and may become physically violent if someone attempts to change their behavior or lifestyle. Around 5% of adults (twice as many men as women) display Obsessive- Compulsive Personality disorder. A. Family Perspective Children whose behavior is rigidly controlled and punished by parents, even for slight transgressions, may develop inflexible, perfectionistic standards.

III. Sexual Deviance A. Paraphilias: unusual or atypical patterns of sexual attraction that involve sexual arousal in response to atypical stimuli. B. Sexual Masochism: strong and recurrent sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors, in which the person becomes sexually aroused by being humiliated, bound, flogged, or made to suffer in other ways. C. Sexual Sadism: strong and recurrent, powerful sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors in which the person becomes sexually aroused by inflicting physical or psychological suffering or humiliation on another person.

D. Sadomasochism: refers to a practice of mutually gratifying sexual interactions between partners involving both sadistic and masochistic acts. E. Theoretical Perspectives F. Treatment