THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF EMOTIONAL CODEPENDENCY IN WOMEN IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify, describe, and analyze the psychological consequences of emotional codependency in women, as well as to explore the specific features of its manifestations in the contemporary socio‑cultural context of Ukraine. Special attention was paid to how emotional codependency affects the emotional state, level of subjective well‑being, vitality, and the ability to build harmonious interpersonal relationships. The study involved 90 women aged 18 to 67 years, which made it possible to cover different age groups and trace how codependent behavioral patterns may manifest at various stages of the life cycle. The participants completed a set of psychodiagnostic instruments designed to assess the level of emotional codependency, anxiety, depressive tendencies, psychological well‑being, and subjective feelings of fatigue. The results showed that most women demonstrated a moderate level of codependency, yet a considerable proportion of respondents exhibited pronounced dependence on the emotional states of others. These features were accompanied by higher levels of anxiety and more frequent complaints of emotional exhaustion, whereas depressive symptoms appeared less consistently, which may indicate the presence of compensatory mechanisms aimed at preserving a sense of psychological stability. Further analysis revealed that higher levels of emotional codependency were associated with decreased subjective well‑being, reduced life satisfaction and emotional comfort, as well as an increased likelihood of chronic fatigue. Correlational analysis confirmed statistically significant relationships between the level of codependency and emotional indicators, thus supporting the hypothesis regarding the negative psychological impact of codependent patterns in women. The findings have practical implications for psychological counseling, psychotherapy, and prevention of emotional burnout among women in codependent relationships.