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Kolenova, A., et al. (2023). Personality traits, approval motivation, and empathy as predictors of cognitive regulation of emotions

and behavioral self-control in codependent women, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and

Education (IJCRSEE), 11(2), 187-197.

Introduction

Recent studies of the codependency phenomenon, regardless of the approach, show that

codependency can be studied through the specics of learned behavioral patterns, features of emotional

states, adaptation disorders, various personality disorders, etc. (Artemtseva, 2012; Artemtseva and

2015; Bereza et al., 2016; Gagai and Selezneva, 2016; Kolenova and Gurtskoy, 2019; Merinov et al.,

2015; Perminova, 2017; Pleshakova, 2018; and others).

At the emotional level, the codependency manifestations are closely associated with emotional

sensitivity and a high level of empathy, neuroticism, anxiety, externality of control, decreased self-

esteem, guilt, and depressive symptoms (Stryapukhina and Posokhova, 2022; Stryapukhina Yu. V.,

2021; Shapovalov and Golenischeva, 2022; Orbon M. C. et al., 2021; Kupchenko, 2020; Politica O.

I., 2020; Ermakov, Kukulyar and Kolenova, 2018; Tulebaeva, 2017; Kogan, Drozdov and Kardashian,

2012; Moskalenko, 2009). A sample of relatives of drug addicts showed a high level of emotional burnout

(Shishkova and Bocharov, 2022). Women in romantic relationships with drug addicts have a low level of

Personality Traits, Approval Motivation, and Empathy as Predictors

2

3

cognitive regulation of emotions, behavioral self-control.

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errors associated with the need for control and the desire to avoid uncertainty (Artemtseva and Malkina,

2022). It has been shown that codependents have decreased levels of reection and self-differentiation,

emotional reactivity, emotional withdrawal, and merging with others (Lampis, et al., 2017). In addition,

features of the time perspective were identied in codependent men and women, which are characterized

by an increased focus on the present (Danilova and Gomba, 2021).

In the behavioral aspect, a tendency to obsessions, loss of personal autonomy, a predominance

of catastrophizing reactions, a tendency to self-aggression and self-destructive behavior were shown

(Stryapukhina, 2021; Kupchenko, 2020; Rozhnova T. M. et al., 2020; Kolenova and Gurtskoy, 2019;

Buzik and Emova, 2019; Perminova, 2017; Merinov et al., 2015). Codependency, as a dysfunctional

form of relationships, is signicantly associated with negative forms of dyadic adaptation in couples,

a pronounced need for approval and the motive “to be needed” (Stryapukhina, 2021; Vinnikov, 2019).

In earlier works, we also managed to establish that the severity of codependency can be determined

by deformation of the value-semantic sphere, lack of necessary competencies under the inuence of

negative experience of dysfunctional relationships with signicant others, which is also seen in a number

of other codependency studies (Artemtseva and Galkina, 2014; Bereza, et al., 2016; Buzik and Emova,

2019; Gagai and Selezneva, 2016; Ermakov, Denisova and Kolenova, 2022; Ezin, 2018; Kolenova and

Gurtskoi, 2019; Suntsova and Faizova, 2018; Lima, et al., 2019, etc. ).

Thus, an analysis of the scientic literature allows us to conclude that the manifestations

of codependency are closely associated with early experiences and the emotional and personal

characteristics of individuals. Codependents often exhibit specic distortions in the cognitive, emotional,

of empathy can determine the characteristics of the manifestation of aggressiveness, the formation of

various strategies of self-regulation, and preferences for strategies for cognitive regulation of emotions in

codependent women. Additionally, it is assumed that the level of codependency will vary depending on

motivational and personal characteristics.

Participants

The study involved 102 women aged 18 to 64 years (mean age 30.39 years) who are in a relationship

or related to an addict (alcoholism, drug addiction, non-chemical addictions). Including: 52 women who

are in a relationship or are related to an alcohol addict; 22 women who are in a relationship or related

to a drug addict; 28 women who are in a relationship or are related to non-chemical addicts (gambling,

questionnaire of cognitive regulation of emotions (Rasskazova E.I., Leonova A.B., Pluzhnikov I.V.) and

the questionnaire “Style of self-regulation of behavior” (Morosanova V.I.).

In order to collect socio-biographical data, a survey method was used: respondents were asked to

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Kolenova, A., et al. (2023). Personality traits, approval motivation, and empathy as predictors of cognitive regulation of emotions

and behavioral self-control in codependent women, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and

Education (IJCRSEE), 11(2), 187-197.

indicate gender, age, describe the type of addiction and their relationship with the addict.

Procedure

The study was conducted in person in online format. Before the start of the study, the purpose of

the study was explained to the respondents. Personal data has been anonymized. The participation of

respondents was voluntary.

Statistical data analysis

To determine the correspondence of the empirical distribution to the normal law, the Shapiro-Wilk

The initial data analysis revealed that the average indicators for the studied scales do not differ

from the average values given in the description of the psychological tests used. At the same time, the

standard deviation on some scales of personality traits, empathy, and approval motivation indicated a

signicant spread of values within the sample. In this regard, at the second stage, the procedure for

clustering the sample according to the studied indicators was carried out. To level the differences in

scales of different methods, the clustering procedure was preceded by the translation of empirical values

of the Big Five questionnaire (B5-10), Social Desirability Scale and the “Diagnostics of the level of

empathy” questionnaire into standard z-scores. The number of clusters was chosen based on the results

of preliminary calculations. Using cluster analysis (k-means clustering) 4 clusters that differ signicantly in

the scales of personality traits, empathy, and approval motivation were identied. The rst cluster included

2 has low agreeableness and conscientiousness, as well as average indicators of extraversion and

need for ap-proval. Cluster 3 respondents are closer to the introversion pole, have reduced levels of

empathy, need for approval, and relatively high levels of neuroticism. Cluster 4 showed low values of

neuroticism and openness to experience, low empathy, increased values of extraversion, agreeableness,

conscientiousness and need for approval.

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that all variables signicantly contributed to the clustering

of the sample (Table 1).

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Table 1

Results of cluster analysis (analysis of variance (ANOVA))