The lived experience of codependency: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

  • Ingrid Bacon
  • , Elizabeth McKay
  • , Frances Reynolds
  • , Anne McIntyre

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)754-771
    JournalInternational Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
    Volume18
    Issue number3
    Early online date21 Aug 2018
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 30 Jun 2020

    Bibliographical note

    Impact: The paper presents the results of a 3 year PhD research in the field of addictions and codependency. The debates and uncertainties about the subjective meanings of codependency in the field of addictions combined with the lack of research from an insider's perspective highlighted the need for an inquiry into individuals' experiences from the perspective of the self-identified codependent was pertinent. The research presented in this paper offered a response to this call. It provided information on the meanings, and personal understandings associated with codependency, as understood by the individuals who identify with this concept useful to inform clinical practice. This is the first time that interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), as a specific research methodology has been used to explore the lived experience of codependency, therefore bringing new knoweledge to the field.

    Keywords

    • Psychology

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