Assessment of relationship addiction

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to propose an assessment tool for relationship addiction, a behavioral addiction similar to other behavioral addictions such as gambling. The paper is meant to further advance the understanding and treatment of relationship addiction. To assist clinicians to more effectively recognize, diagnose, and treat this mental health concern, the paper will define four criteria for assessment (impaired control, life impairment, disregard of the partner’s behavior, and emotion dysregulation), provide a case study and suggestion-specific assessment tools. Questions will be proposed and readers will have an opportunity to complete the questions via an online survey.

Keywords:

• Relationship
• love
• behavioral addiction
• assessment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Table 1. Criteria for relationship addiction (Redcay & Simonetti, 2018).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alex Redcay

Dr. Alex Redcay is an Assistant Professor at Millersville University in Lancaster, PA. Dr. Redcay is an expert through Serise, Inc. (www.SeriseInc.com). Serise eliminates barriers for professionals to be successful at work and at home. Serise provides international comprehensive continuing education training, expert witness services, and behavioral health intervention and evaluations. Dr. Redcay has previously worked at Princeton Hospital, Child Protective Services, and Department of Correction reentry services. Dr. Redcay is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in NJ & PA and earned a PhD from Rutgers University in NJ and an MSW from Southern Connecticut State University.

Sheila McMahon

Sheila M. McMahon, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor at the Barry University School of Social Work in Miami, FL. Her research focuses on the impact of the campus environment on student outcomes in two areas: primary prevention of sexual assault on college campuses and strategies to improve the implicit curriculum in social work education, particularly for students of diverse backgrounds. In addition, her work explores the use of restorative justice practices in incidents involving sexual assault. Prior to beginning her professorship at Barry, she served as the inaugural Director for Sexual Assault Services and at Brandeis University and is a licensed social work practitioner in Florida. She holds a Master of Divinity from Harvard University, an MSW and a PhD from the Rutgers University School of Social Work, where she was trained as a research assistant at the Center on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC).