An individual’s level of interpersonal dependency influences the way they engage with others, and researchers have achieved a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between dependency and interpersonal relationships across an array of social situations. This knowledge has improved the efficacy of medical and psychotherapeutic work with dependent clients and has informed approaches taken to reduce the societal costs of dependent personality disorder (e.g., increased risk for suicide and self-harm, perpetration of child abuse, perpetration of domestic violence, victimization by a partner, and physical illness). Relatively little research, however, has explored dependency’s links to sexual activity and sexual functioning, the findings of which stand to offer knowledge valuable to sex counseling, couples therapy, sexual health, and our overall understanding of sexuality. The current study utilized a multimethod research design to explore dependency as it relates to sexual and romantic relationships and sexual activity. Multiple associations emerged between dependency, both interpersonal dependency and a healthy variant of dependency, and sexual activity. Based upon these findings and contemporary literature, an initial discussion of some of the therapeutic implications of this knowledge and suggestions for working with dependent clients are offered.

一个人的人际依赖程度会影响他们与他人交往的方式，研究人员已经对一系列社会情境中的依赖与人际关系之间的相互作用有了全面的了解。这些知识提高了对依赖客户的医疗和心理治疗工作的效率，并为减少依赖型人格障碍的社会成本（例如，增加自杀和自残、虐待儿童、实施家庭暴力、伴侣的伤害和身体疾病）。然而，相对较少的研究探讨了依赖与性活动和性功能的联系，其研究结果将为性咨询、夫妻治疗、性健康、以及我们对性的整体理解。当前的研究利用多方法研究设计来探索与性和浪漫关系以及性活动相关的依赖性。依赖（人际依赖和依赖的健康变体）与性活动之间出现了多种关联。基于这些发现和当代文献，对这些知识的一些治疗意义进行了初步讨论，并提供了与依赖客户合作的建议。