The role of multiple scattering on dependent scattering as well as on dependent absorption is investigated for heterogeneous media containing a high concentration of particles. The decrease of scattering and increase of absorption for lossy (with intrinsic absorption) particles in a lossless matrix is quantitatively described using a Rayleigh region solution derived from a multiple scattering formalism. For smaller wavelengths, dependent scattering and absorption can be obtained by solving the resulting dispersion equation numerically. Results are shown for lossless particles in a lossy matrix, which models an optical coating system.