Considering that the concept of codependency is wellentrenched in the minds of professionals and non-professionals whose lives revolve around the treatment of chemical dependency, substance abuse, and various other compulsive disorders, it is surprising that very little empirical research exists on the phenomenon. In fact, a review of the scant research that is available, brings to light an ironic situation. It would seem that there was more of an attempt to conduct empirical research on the issue of codependency before it became a popular, wellaccepted term. One wonders if the unquestioning, universal acceptance of the term "codependent" has had the effect of obviating the need for empirical justification, at least in the minds of those who categorize and treat people afflicted with this disorder.
A search of the literature in 1990 is disappointing. Brewer, Sawadski, and Lincoln (1990) investigated a sample of 803 patients in order to assess factors which may be associated with co-dependents and chemical dependents who complete a specific treatment regimen. Their goal was to identify variables that predict patients who finish treatment versus those who do not. They start with the assumption that codependency is a proven, viable condition that is "characterized by preoccupation and extreme dependence on another person . . . [and] delusion, denial, compulsions, frozen feelings, low self-esteem and stress-related medical complications" (p. 654). They describe their treatment approach as one that "incorporates the concept of chemical dependency as a family illness" (p. 655-656). The research approach consisted of gathering demographic data, diagnostic labels, and information on health problems, aftercare, treatment plans and length of treatment on patients who were divided into three groups: 1) codependent, 2) codependent and chemically dependent, in remission, and 3) chemically dependent. Chi-square and t-tests were reported...