This dependent personality quiz is based on a preliminary version of Development and Validity of Deenz Dependent Personality Scale (DDPS-20) measuring subclinical traits among college students. The scale measures subclinical traits which are not considered sufficient for clinical diagnosis of Dependent Personality Disorder. The goal of the scale is not to make a diagnosis of the disorder, rather it tries to assess personality tendencies that exist on a spectrum. The key domains which this quiz is trying to assess are Decision Dependence, Fear of Abandonment, Submissiveness, and Attachment Need. (DDPS-20) has proven to be a reliable measure for assessing tendencies towards dependent personality in the general population.
Development of the Dependent Personality Quiz.
This quiz is not associated with the research and nor does it collect or store participant data for research purposes.
Modern psychology, especially child psychology, emphasizes early detection of dependent personality tendencies. [1] (DDPS-20) has proven to be a valuable tool for early detection of tendencies, and the goal is to assess traits which may be early signals for developing traits which may be later considered clinically significant for a disorder. In short, everyone shows some dependency traits — but (DDPS-20) just measures how much and how they affect functioning, and in the future, whether or not these tendencies may impact social and personal life.
Dependent Personality quiz is designed to provide scoring and interpretations of results. This quiz also provides visual results in charts for better interpretations of results and understanding of tendencies.Who the test is designed for
The original research suggests the Dependent Personality Scale can be administered to children aged 12+ , as the questionnaire is provided in simple and easy-to-understand language. However it is recommended to take the test under supervision of a teacher or a professional. Adults (age 16+) can easily self-administer the test and interpret the results independently. The study which was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the (DDPS-20) was administered to collage students aged 18 and above and the need for professional supervision was not found necessary.
Subscale
| Domain | Items | Key Concept | Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decision Dependence | 1–5 | Reliance on others for choices | 5–25 |
| Fear of Abandonment | 6–10 | Anxiety about being alone / rejected | 5–25 |
| Submissiveness | 11–15 | Avoidance of conflict / low assertiveness | 5–25 |
| Attachment Need | 16–20 | Desire for closeness / emotional support | 5–25 |
Validity
Deenz Dependent Personality Scale (DDPS-20) has demonstrated good content and construct validity. The questionnaire was developed based on four domain structure —Decision Dependence, Fear of Abandonment, Submissiveness, and Attachment Need. Convergent validity was conducted through positive correlations with measure attachment anxiety and low self-esteem and discriminant validity by weak correlations and unrelated constructs such as openness and extraversion. The scale also demonstrated good internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87 indicating high reliability. Subscale alpha ranged from 0.78 to 0.84 suggested each domain consistently measures its intended construct. These findings confirm the scale is valid and reliable measure for assessing subclinical dependent personality tendencies across adolescent and adult populations. The scale has also been compared with other well established scales such as Dependent Personality Inventory (DPI) [2]and the scale demonstrating convergent validity with existing measures.
Deenz Dependent Personality Scale (DDPS-20) Scoring Guide
| Response | Score (Normal) | Score (Reverse) |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly Disagree | 0 | 4 |
| Disagree | 1 | 3 |
| Neutral / Sometimes | 2 | 2 |
| Agree | 3 | 1 |
| Strongly Agree | 4 | 0 |
Subscale Reverse-Scored Items
| Subscale | Reverse-Scored Items |
|---|---|
| Decision Dependence | 4, 5 |
| Fear of Abandonment | 9, 10 |
| Submissiveness | 14, 15 |
| Attachment Need | 19, 20 |
Total Score Interpretation
| Total Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–20 | Low – generally independent |
| 21–40 | Mild – occasional dependent traits |
| 41–60 | Moderate – frequent dependent behaviors, may need monitoring |
| 61–80 | High – strong dependency traits, may benefit from support |
References
- Bornstein R. F. (1992). The dependent personality: developmental, social, and clinical perspectives. Psychological bulletin, 112(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.112.1.3 ↩
- Huber, N. M. (2007). Dependent Personality Inventory (DPI): A scale to assess dependent personality subtypes based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Cleveland State University. ↩