Lack of emotional clarity and diminished self-efficacy as core problems in functional dependency: A structural equation modeling analysis with a college student sample.

Background: High levels of functional dependency appear to be deleterious to psychological and physical health. The goal of this research was to identify factors responsible for the association between functional dependency and negative health outcomes.

Methods: Self-report data were collected from 149 undergraduate students. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model in which functional dependency has indirect effects on three negative psychological outcomes (negative affect, functional impairment, and dissatisfaction with life) through two variables: lack of experiential awareness and diminished self-efficacy.

Results: The model provided a good fit to the data and five of the six indirect effects were statistically significant.

Limitations: Limitations include self-report and cross-sectional nature of the data.

Conclusions: These results help to shed light on the core pathology in functional dependency and implicate specific interventions in treating problems associated with this personality trait.