Final answer:
Karen Horney suggested that neurotic needs are cause for concern when a person becomes rigid and inflexible in their expressions, as it signifies a compulsive adherence to maladaptive coping strategies leading to alienation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The neurotic needs, as proposed by Karen Horney, become a cause for concern if a person d) Becomes rigid and inflexible in their expressions. Horney's theories assert that these needs stem from childhood experiences such as loneliness and isolation. The resulting basic anxiety can be coped with in three main styles: moving toward people, moving against people, and moving away from people.
While these are typical coping methods, they can transform into neurotic strategies if they are employed rigidly and compulsively, leading to alienation from others.
Horney, along with other psychologists like Freud, believed that a balance within the personality structures—the id, ego, and superego—is essential for mental health. Inappropriate dominance of any of these aspects can result in neurosis and an array of unhealthy behaviors.