Codependency as a response to possible manifestations of personality disorders in the work-place. Is healing possible? Dr. Damian Spiteri Ph.D.

MCAST Malta.

Management issues

Recognizing that certain employees may have personality disorders, (eg. histrionic, antisocial, paranoid, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorders) can be a first step to managing negative behavior at the workplace. Managers are responsible for maintaining the health of their work environment. Active, timely and appropriate interventions can minimize negative behavior that can become 'contagious'

(Lambrecht, 2010)

Who is the bully?

Bullying in the workplace was referred to extensively by Hienz Leymann (1990) who introduced the concept of "mobbing". In the UK, workplace bullying was given significant exposure by Andrea Adams (1992) who wrote a book and made a BBC documentary on the phenomenon

Bullying behaviors attributable to people with personal disorders

Blaming poor performance on another person's inadequacy

Pulling morale down through such means as constant faultfinding Backstabbing making people constantly on guard

Shows of aggression/manipulation
Disregard and contempt for co-workers/subordinates

Personality disorders (1)

The personality disorders that give rise to psychotoxic relationships show up as deviations in one or more of the following:
(I) cognition: perception, thinking, interpretation of oneself, other people and events;

(ii) affective qualities: range, intensity, liability and appropriateness of emotional responses;
(iii) interpersonal functions; and (iv) impulsiveness.

(DSM-IV, 1994, p. 633)

Personality disorders (2)

Tend to use feelings, emotions and reactions against coworkers. They provoke others (Lambrecht, 2012)
There is a difference between personality traits and personality disorders. Personality disorders exist when there is a distinct pattern of excessive, inflexible and consistently self-destructive personality traits

(Unterberg, 2003, p. 62)

Codependency (1)

Type 1. Self-sacrificing type. Creates victimization by selecting people who need nurturance to rescue. Compulsion to 'give'

Type 2. Dominant type. Hungry for selfgratification and selffulfillment

Type 3. Avoidant type. Does not take on personal responsibility nor takes care of others

Allcorn (1992)

Codependency (2)

Self-sacrificing type. The sacrifices he makes allows others to use him/her. Others are needed for self-esteem, making the person more dependent. This is a self-defeating strategy

Dominant type. Denies that he alienates others by abusive, critical or dominating behavior
Avoidant type. Denies that it is painful to be isolated and lonely

Allcorn (1992)

No agreed-upon definition of bullying

Generally, bullying is used to describe behaviour that is hostile, aggressive or passive aggressive, and that is based on direct or tacit threat; It is a power dynamic
Bullying is sometimes also attributed to organizations for instance if they fail to respect individuals adequately Victims: target status versus witness status

What is codependency?

Codependency is an outward manifestation of an inner disposition toward learned helplessness, derived from early childhood, that surfaces in interpersonal contexts that are or become psychotoxic at a given point in life.
It is thereby both an interpersonal disorder and an intra-psychic one

(Spiteri 2012)

Why concern ourselves with workplace bullying?

Related to employee performance Related to lower overall quality of services rendered Related to absenteeism rate (it takes longer for services to be delivered)/employee retention

Related to higher incidence of stress related conditions and illnesses. Some are unable to re-enter the work-force Brings about spill-over effect at home and in other places

(Leymann, 1993; 1996)

Conflict versus bullying

Conflicts are usually issue centred rather than person centered. Bullying are usually person centred rather than issue centered
Conflicts can be one-off incidents or isolated events. Bullying can also be one-off incidents or isolated events, however, it tends to present itself as a series of events, even if these events are seemingly unrelated to one another The difference seems to lie in one's perception of how entrenched is the imbalance of power

Conflict versus bullying

Conflicts are usually issue centered rather than person centered. Bullying are usually person centred rather than issue centered
Conflicts can be one-off incidents or isolated events. Bullying can also be one-off incidents or isolated events, however, it tends to present itself as a series of events, even if these events are seemingly unrelated to one another The difference seems to lie in one's perception of how entrenched is the imbalance of power

Consequences of bullying

1) Depression: some cases it is so severe that it leads to suicidal tendencies or behaviors and also to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms (Matthieson and Einarsen, 2004).
2) Sleep disorders, psychosomatic disorders, and diminished self-esteem have also resulted (Macintosh, 2005).

Research Design

4 clients from the Caritas (Employee Assistance Program) EAP program were the participants in this study. They had identified as victims in a (workplace) bullying process. They were offered interventions over a course of 6 sessions which were aimed at generating self-empowerment. They were each offered 6 sessions in total followed on by a 7th and final session for which they were invited to participate in a 45 minute long open-ended interview about their experience of bullying at the work-place. Flexible open-ended interviews were the measure used.

Questions related to themes including:

1. Pertinent family of origin issues

2. When the bullying was detected

3. Evolution of the bullying process on both a thoughts and feelings level

4. Previous incidents of bullying

5. Any steps taken to resolve any pertinent issues at current/previous work-place

6. Occupation, age and other demographic data. 7. End result

Case study no. 1

Focus on office worker

First told to start working before wage/position started out Asked to sit in a particular place Travel abroad skipped of opportunity

Unaware of office procedures given show of hysterics and put-downs.

Constant abuse and put-downs. Officials said no 'crime' had taken place.

Case study no. 2

Focus on teacher

Teacher more qualified than head

Head takes away teachers' materials

Does not allow him access to circulars Denies information about possible promotions/opportunities Treats him "like dirt"

Case study no. 2

Focus on teacher

Teacher more qualified than head

Head takes away teachers' materials

Does not allow him access to circulars Denies information about possible promotions/opportunities Treats him "like dirt"

Family dynamics

Cases 1 and 2. Brought up by single parent. In both cases, described as demanding

Believed that being forced to take care of others and do what was asked was associated with parental love and approval

Hence association (paradox) of love and pain

Element of fusion with self with the other and inability to forge interpersonal boundaries

Fear of abandonment

Case study no. 3

Focus on salesman. Shifts between jobs when the going gets rough Picks up a fight and then quits the job if he feels harassed

He has quit twelve jobs in this fashion in the past three years

Family dynamics

As a child, attachment to others was painful and difficult. Dominance and rejection of others was avoided by avoiding them altogether. Engulfment and fear are avoided by being on one's own. Hence association (paradox of fear and self-victimizing isolation).

Case study no. 4

Focus on factory worker

I had a supervisor who used to call me names after I asked for a chair to sit down on Others also joined in, over time, and it got progressively worse. "At times, I tried to be nice to them; at others I tried to avoid them" Supervisor made it increasingly clear, whatever I did, that she did not like me

Experienced trauma that influenced him after leaving the job

Family dynamics

Alcoholic mother.
Unpredictable behavior at home.

One parent gave sense of security, other did not.

Had learned to take care of mother but love her and hate her at the same time. Father not always present.

The Family Pathology Matrix

Allcorn (1992, p. 64)
Self-sacrificing/selfsacrificing Dominating/self-sacrificing Withdrawn/self-sacrificing

Self-sacrificing/dominating

Dominating/dominating

Withdrawn/dominating

Self-sacrificing/withdrawn

Dominating/withdrawn

Withdrawn/withdrawn

Conclusions (2)

Not enough awareness about the bullying context

Anti-bullying policies and practices are seen as highly underdeveloped

Cry to mama

I want you near

I want you here

I need you everywhere

I seek to please you anywhere I ask that you always take the gifts I give I ask for your love so I can live

References (1)

Adams, A. (1992) Bullying at work: how to confront and overcome it. London: Virago Press.
Allcorn, S. (1992) Codependency in the Workplace, a Guide for Employee Assistance and Human Resource Professionals. NY: Quorum Books.

Lambrecht, J.S. (2010) 'Managing the Personality Disordered Individual. Recognizing and Responding to Workplace Deviance'. Report presented to the Chair Academy.

References (2)

Leymann, H. (1990) 'Mobbing and Psychological Terror at Workplaces.' Violence and Victims, 5, 119126.
Leymann, H. (1996) 'The content and development of mobbing at work' European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology 5(2), 165-184 MacIntosh, J. (2005) Experiences of workplace bullying in a rural area. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 26(9), 893-910

References (3)

Matthiessen, S. and Einsaren, S. (2004) Psychiatric distress and symptoms of PTSD among victims of bullying at work. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling 32(3), 335-336.

Spiteri D. (2012) 'Codependency and bullying at school. How college students employed a philosophy for children approach to re-story their experiences'. Paper presented at the International Conference of the Austrian Centre of Philosophy for Children, 18-21 September, 2012.

References (4)

Unterberg, M. (2003). Personality Disorders in the Workplace: The underachieving, compliant employee. Business and Health (Oct 15th).