The Relations between Defence Mechanisms and Spiritual Involvement of Academic Staff Members as the Measure of Their Personal Maturity

Abstract

Researchers investigating human beings claim that everybody uses defence mechanisms. However, different people use different mechanisms. The most mature persons employ mature mechanisms, and those less mature and those in crisis situations use primitive mechanisms. The article presents a study on the relationship between the intensity of defence mechanisms and the level of spiritual involvement. Two groups of people are compared: one group consists of the members of the Christian Faculty Forum, and the other of people whose professional lives are not connected with teaching. The results obtained indicate a correlation between the involvement in one’s spiritual life and personal maturity measured with the use of mature defence mechanisms. The analysis of the results indicates that the development of spiritual life is connected with the development of personality. Involvement in spirituality and in spiritual health helps people reach maturity and deeper involvement in their pedagogical work.