Codependency Test
Reflect on codependency patterns using a structured 10-item questionnaire aligned with the Spann-Fischer scale and ACoA research.
A codependency test screens for patterns of excessive emotional reliance, compulsive caregiving, people-pleasing, difficulty with boundaries, and loss of identity in relationships. Not a DSM-5-TR diagnosis but a widely recognized relationship dysfunction pattern, often linked to trauma and family dysfunction.
What is Codependency?
Codependency describes a pattern of excessive psychological reliance on a partner, family member, or other person, often characterized by compulsive caregiving, difficulty setting boundaries, approval-seeking, low self-esteem tied to others' wellbeing, and a tendency to lose one's own identity in relationships. The concept emerged from the addiction treatment field in the 1980s, originally describing partners and family members of people with substance use disorders, and has since been broadened to describe relationship dysfunction across diverse contexts.
Codependency is not a formal DSM-5-TR or ICD-11 diagnosis. Some clinicians view it as a learned pattern rooted in childhood developmental trauma, particularly in families affected by substance abuse, emotional neglect, parental mental illness, or other chronic dysfunction. Individuals who grew up in these environments may have developed adaptive roles, caretaker, hero, people-pleaser, that functioned as survival strategies but create relationship difficulties in adulthood. Elements of codependency overlap significantly with anxious attachment style, dependent personality disorder, and complex PTSD.
Recovery from codependency typically involves individual therapy focused on identifying and meeting one's own needs, developing healthy self-concept independent of others, learning boundary-setting skills, and processing underlying trauma or attachment wounds. Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA), modeled on the 12-step model, is a widely available peer support resource. Research consistently shows that codependency patterns can meaningfully improve with dedicated therapeutic work.
Codependency Pattern Reflection
Rate how often each statement describes your patterns in close relationships. This is an educational reflection tool, not a validated clinical tool.
This reflection tool is for educational purposes only and is not a validated clinical tool. If codependency patterns are affecting your relationships and wellbeing, a therapist specializing in relational trauma or attachment can be very helpful.
Core Codependency Patterns
Based on clinical literature including Beattie (1986), Whitfield (1987), and the CoDA fellowship. Individual patterns vary, not all are present in every person with codependency.
Codependency vs Related Concepts
Recovery focuses on developing a stable, autonomous sense of self and learning to meet your own needs directly. Key skills include: boundary setting (saying no without excessive guilt), identifying your own needs and emotions (separate from others'), self-care practice, and communication skills. Therapy approaches with strong evidence include Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), Schema Therapy for abandonment and subjugation schemas, and DBT for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.
Behavioural Health Outcome Monitoring
PHQ-9, GAD-7, and relational health outcomes, integrated monitoring for behavioural health and relationship therapy programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is codependency an official diagnosis?
Codependency does not appear as a standalone diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11. Clinicians generally view it as a relational pattern rather than a discrete disorder. Some of its features — such as excessive self-sacrifice and identity fusion — overlap with dependent personality disorder and anxious attachment, which are recognized clinical constructs.
What is the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale?
The Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale (SFCS) is a self-report questionnaire developed by Fischer, Spann, and Crawford (1991) to measure codependent relationship patterns. It asks respondents to rate items about compulsive caretaking, people-pleasing, and loss of self in relationships. Subsequent research has supported its convergent validity with other codependency measures, including the Co-Dependents Anonymous Checklist.
Is a codependency questionnaire self-report or clinician-administered?
Most codependency measures — including the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale and the Holyoake Codependency Index — are self-report instruments completed by the respondent without clinician guidance. They are designed as screening and reflection tools. Clinical assessment of related issues such as dependent personality traits or attachment difficulties typically involves a structured interview with a qualified clinician.
Can a codependency test be used to track progress in therapy?
Codependency measures can be used as informal progress markers in relational or attachment-focused therapy, helping therapists and clients observe shifts in patterns like self-sacrifice, external focus, and boundary-setting over time. However, no codependency scale has established sensitivity-to-change benchmarks comparable to standardized outcome measures such as the PHQ-9. Results should be interpreted alongside the broader clinical picture.
References
- 1.Lindley NR, Giordano PJ, Hammer ED. Codependency: predictors and psychometric issues. J Clin Psychol. 1999;55(1):59-64.View source
- 2.Dear GE, Roberts CM. The Holyoake Codependency Index: investigation of the factor structure and psychometric properties. Psychol Rep. 2000;87(3 Pt 1):991-1002.View source
- 3.Molina E, Taiwo A, Grey B. Co-Dependency Revisited: An Integrative Review of Conceptualisations and Mental Health Outcomes. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2026;33(2):e70265.View source
Bill this assessment
The Codependency Test qualifies for reimbursement under these CPT codes (US).
Last reviewed: Jun 3, 2026
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