Women's emotional dependence on men: Scale construction and test of Russianoff's hypothesis

Abstract

This study examines Russianoff's (1981) hypothesis that emotional dependence on men inhibits heterosexual women's self-esteem and life satisfaction. The Emotional Dependence Questionnaire (EDQ) was constructed to measure Russianoff's concept of “desperate dependence.” Fifty-four female first-year university students and 136 women from community organizations (Australian, nearly all Caucasian, and predominantly middle class and British/Celtic in origin) completed omnibus questionnaires comprising the EDQ and measures of self-esteem, life satisfaction, gender roles, feminist attitudes, and general dependence. Results indicated that women's emotional dependence on men, as defined by Russianoff, is a distinct form of dependence. In contrast to Russianoff's contention that heterosexual women uniformly display emotional dependence on men, it was found to be negatively associated with age, education, and feminist attitudes, and to be lower for career-oriented women. Life satisfaction was found to be greater for women in a relationship with a man. Implications of these findings are discussed, with recommendations for further validative and investigative studies using the EDQ.