title: Defensive passivity in adolescence.
abstract: There are potentially healthy adolescents who display excessive reluctance to move toward independent decision and action. This paper presents a clinical description of this "syndrome", conceptualizes it as a defensive maneuver against mourning and offers steps for therapeutic intervention.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003657:Decision Making; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003859:Dependent Personality Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012917:Social Adjustment