Neurotic Defense Research Articles

The role of environmental sensitivity, traumatic experiences, defense mechanisms and mental pain on central sensitivity: testing a path analysis model in chronic headache on quality of life.

Central pain sensitivity (CS) is defined as an increased responsiveness of nociceptive neurons in the central nervous system to normal or subthreshold inputs. The main aim of this paper is to investigate if and how specific psychological constructs are related with CS burden in patients with chronic headache (CH). Specifically, research question 1 explores the association of temperament, personality, childhood adversities, defense mechanisms and mental pain with CS burden. Research question 2 aims to test the role of the best predictors of CS burden in affecting the quality of life (QoL) using path analysis. A total of 508 women with CH completed a psycho-diagnostic survey. Results showed that higher levels of low sensory threshold (β = 0.200), bodily threat traumatic experiences (β = 0.156), neurotic defenses (β = 0.109) and mental pain (β = 0.343) emerged as the best predictors of higher CS burden. The model presented demonstrated a satisfactory fit (GFI = 0.984; NFI = 0.966; CFI = 0.979; RMSEA = 0.056 [95% CI 0.028-0.085]) with large and medium effect sizes on physical (-0.654) and psychological QoL (-0.246). The study showed a key role of psychological dimensions in CS burden levels and their relationships with QoL in CH patients. From a clinical perspective, these results suggest the importance of evaluating the level of CS burden during the clinical assessment for chronic pain conditions such as CH, since it may contribute to guide patients to tailored psychological and medical treatments, thereby saving time and costs on diagnostic procedures for chronic pain.

Central sensitization symptoms in vulvodynia: exploring the role of temperament, personality traits, childhood adverse events, defense mechanisms, and mental pain on quality of life.

Vulvodynia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by persistent vulvar pain, occurring without clinically identifiable disorders. Central sensitization (CS) is suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of vulvodynia, as for other nociplastic pain conditions. This study delves into the complex interplay between psychosocial factors and CS burden in women with vulvodynia, aiming to identify potential predictors (temperament, personality traits, childhood adverse events, defense mechanisms, and mental pain) and understand their impact on quality of life (QoL). A cohort-based cross-sectional web survey of 357 women with vulvodynia. Outcomes included 8 self-report measures to assess the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) and psychological variables, including sensory processing sensitivity, traumatic experiences, personality traits, defense mechanisms, and mental pain. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted in study 1, revealing that the following predicted higher CSI scores in women with vulvodynia: higher emotional overexcitability, decreased low sensory threshold, increased bodily threat experiences, elevated psychoticism, greater use of immature and neurotic defense mechanisms, and heightened mental pain. The final regression model identified the following as the strongest predictors of CS: low sensory threshold (β = 0.316), bodily threat experiences (β = 0.145), neurotic defenses (β = 0.210), and mental pain (β = 0.269). In study 2, the model presented interactions among these psychological factors in predicting CSI values explaining 48.9% of the variance in CS, 30.3% in psychological QoL, and 57.1% in physical QoL. This model opens discussion for tailored psychological interventions aimed to improve overall QoL in women with vulvodynia. Strengths of the study include innovative insights into the interplay between psychological variables and the construct of CS and quality of life. As a limitation, the research was conducted as a cross-sectional study with self-reported measures. The study calls for comprehensive assessments that consider physical and mental aspects, paving the way for holistic health care approaches in the management of vulvodynia.

Impact of Defense Mechanism Styles on Disease Progression in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer: Focusing on Clinical Staging.

The escalating incidence of cancer and the concurrent rise in mental health issues necessitate investigation into the potential for psychological factors to impede timely and effective treatment. This study examines the association between defense mechanism styles and disease progression, specifically focusing on clinical staging, in patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Employing a descriptive correlational design, the study recruited 205 patients with GI cancer admitted to Javad Al-Aeme Hospital in Kerman, Iran, during the year 2022. Convenience sampling was utilized for participant selection. Data collection instruments included the Defense Style Questionnaire-40 (DSQ-40) and patients' documented clinical stage information. Correlation coefficients and ordinal logistic regression were employed for data analysis. Over half of 205 GI cancer patients were female (53.2%). The majority were married (85.8%) with an average age of 53.86 ± 8.21years. Nearly a quarter (23.9%) were in disease stage 1, with similar proportions in stages 2 (25.4%), 3 (27.3%), and 4 (23.4%). The findings revealed a significant inverse correlation between mature defense mechanism styles and clinical stage (r = - 0.55, p < 0.001), indicating that patients who employed more adaptive defense mechanisms had lower-stage cancer. Conversely, a significant positive correlation was observed between immature defense mechanism styles and clinical stage (r = - 0.49, p < 0.001), suggesting that patients who relied on less effective defense mechanisms had more advanced-stage cancer. However, no significant association was found between neurotic defense mechanism styles and clinical stage (r = - 0.12, p = 0.079). This study provides preliminary evidence that defense mechanism styles are associated with disease progression in patients with GI cancer. Mature defense mechanisms may promote slower disease progression, while immature defense mechanisms may contribute to more advanced disease stages. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and develop interventions to improve psychological well-being in this patient population.

A Study on the Impact of Ego Defense Mechanisms on the Formation of Close Relationships in Young Adults

A Study on the Impact of Ego Defense Mechanisms on the Formation of Close Relationships in Young Adults

Intervening Effect of Maladaptive Personality on the Relationship Between Defense Styles and Psychiatric Symptoms Among Prisoners.

Prison settings are stress-inducing environments that make individuals more vulnerable to psychopathology. Defense styles and personality traits have long been associated with psychopathology. The current study aimed to explain the intervening role of maladaptive personality domains on the relationship between defense styles and psychiatric symptoms among male convicts imprisoned in nine Central Jails of Punjab, Pakistan. Through cross-sectional design, data was collected through purposive sampling. 509 respondents (who were serving their sentence for the crime committed) with a Mean age of 35 years (10.21) provided data on self-reported translated versions of the Cross-Cutting Symptoms Measure, Personality Inventory for DSM 5 - Adult version (Short Form), and Defense Style Questionnaire. Findings of the mediation analysis showed that negative affectivity, disinhibition, and psychoticism mediated the relationship between immature defense style and psychiatric symptoms whereas moderation analysis showed a significant interactional effect of antagonism with mature and neurotic defense style on psychiatric symptoms exclusively. Findings have highlighted that defense styles and certain personality domains intervene to have a combined indirect effect on psychiatric symptoms. The study also contributes to the literature by specifying the interactional effect of antagonism and mature defense style on predicting psychiatric symptoms.

Polytraumatization, defense mechanisms, PTSD and complex PTSD in Indian adolescents: a mediation model

BackgroundAdolescence is recognized as a particularly susceptible developmental period for experiencing multiple types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), increasing the vulnerability to higher levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD symptoms. Some studies found that defense mechanisms play an important role on the association between ACE and psychological symptoms.MethodsWe analyzed the associations between direct and indirect exposure to ACE and PTSD and Complex PTSD (affective dysregulation, negative self-concept and disturbances in relationships) through the mediation role of mature defense mechanisms: mature, neurotic, and immature defense mechanisms in Indian adolescents. A sample of 411 Indian adolescents (M = 14.2 years old; S.D. = 0.5) completed validated self-report questionnaires. Serial multiple mediation models were tested by conducting a structural equation modelling employing Preacher and Hayes’ procedures (2008).ResultsImmature and neurotic defense mechanisms mediated the association between direct exposure to ACE with PTSD symptoms. Immature defense mechanisms were mediators of the relationship between direct exposure to ACE and Complex PTSD symptoms clusters.ConclusionsMaladaptive defense mechanisms can disturb the process of self-regulation and emotion regulation capabilities in coping with traumatic experiences, leading to higher PTSD and Complex PTSD symptoms severity.

Defense style and psychopathology in oncological patients: a preliminary report.

Previous studies shows that 30-40% of oncological and hematological patients report symptoms of distress compatible with a psychiatric disorder. The use of various and mostly unconscious defense mechanisms is implemented to cope with increased suffering after a cancer diagnosis. In this preliminary report, we explored the presence of defense mechanisms and their associations with psychopathological dimensions in a sample of late-stage cancer patients without history of psychiatric disorders. We recruited 50 patients (28 females, 18-64 years old) with cancer diagnosis without prior history of any substance use disorder or psychiatric disorders. All participants were given the following self-report questionnaires: the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the 40-item version of the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). In our study we demonstrated significant psychiatric distress in a third of our patients (defined as SCL-90 ≥2 points). A Pearson correlation analysis on all patients shows that psychotic defense styles were correlated with hostility, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism, while neurotic defense styles correlated with somatization. Our results are in line with previous findings showing that one third of cancer patients suffers from a psychiatric disorder. Moreover, we found that somatization correlates with both psychotic and neurotic defense mechanism styles. This demonstrates the importance of assessing oncological patients coping mechanisms to achieve best possible treatment.

Central sensitivity in fibromyalgia: testing a model to explain the role of psychological factors on functioning and quality of life.

Central sensitivity (CS) is defined as an increased responsiveness of nociceptive neurons in the central nervous system to normal or subthreshold inputs. CS has recently been linked to the psychological burden associated with chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia (FM). The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of specific psychological constructs on CS in patients with FM. In Study 1, we explore the influence of temperament, personality, childhood trauma, defence mechanisms, and mental pain on CS. In Study 2, our goal is to test the role of the best predictors of CS in influencing quality of life (QoL) and FM functioning through a path analysis model. A total of 510 women with FM participated online, completing a self-administered protocol. Data collection took place between April and June of 2023. In Study 1, higher levels of low sensory threshold (β=0.210), traumatic experiences of physical threat (β=0.141), neurotic defences (β=0.124), and mental pain (β=0.241) emerged as the strongest predictors of increased CS. In Study 2, the presented model demonstrated a satisfactory fit (chi2=27.200; df=10; p=0.002; GFI=0.984; NFI=0.949; CFI=0.967; RMSEA=0.061 [95% CI 0.034-0.090]) with large and medium effect sizes on physical (-0.576) and psychological (-0.190) QoL. The study underscores the pivotal role of psychological dimensions in influencing CS levels and their relationships with QoL in patients with FM.

The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation in the Relationship Between Defense Styles and Psychological Vulnerability Among Emergency Medicine Physicians

Background: Excessive work-related psychological pressures can endanger health by causing physical, mental, and behavioral complications. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between defense styles and psychological vulnerability among emergency medicine physicians. Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive correlational study comprised all emergency medicine physicians working in Tehran hospitals in 2021 - 2022, from whom a sample of 380 was selected using cluster sampling. The research instruments included the symptom checklist-25 (SCL-25), The Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). The data were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM) in LISREL 8.8. Results: Based on the results, the research model had a good fit (CFI = 0.96, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.058). There was an indirect relationship between the defense styles of emergency medicine physicians and psychological vulnerability, mediated by emotion regulation (P &lt; 0.001). There were direct relationships between defense styles and psychological vulnerability, between emotion regulation and psychological vulnerability, and between defense styles and emotion regulation (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Health professionals and therapists can thus reduce psychological vulnerability among emergency medicine physicians by improving their immature and neurotic defense styles and enhancing their cognitive emotion regulation.

The impact of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the psychological defense mechanism and weight loss program: A randomized controlled trial among university students during COVID-19 movement control order

This study examined the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in changing the psychological defense mechanism and promoting weight loss among overweight or obese (OW/OB) university students. A sample of 152 OW/OB university students who reported high immature and neurotic defense styles was randomly assigned into ACT, ACT-EX (ACT and structured exercise program), or a control group (CG) for a six-week intervention program. Group × time interactions showed that the BMI and all defense styles improved in the ACT and ACT-EX groups. The BMI was significantly lower in ACT-EX than in ACT, while the within-group effect size was larger in ACT than in ACT-EX for immature and neurotic defense styles. The mature defense style showed a significant improvement albeit with a small effect size in both ACT and ACT-EX. Both ACT interventions were found to be effective in promoting weight loss and improving the psychological defense mechanism, including experiential avoidance.

Features of the use of adaptive and maladaptive defense mechanisms by a person with various types of sensitivity to justice

Introduction. The concept of sensitivity to justice, in psychological science, is studied in conjunction with personal characteristics. The multiplicity of affective reactions associated with the experience of injustice forces us to raise the question of the features of the use of psychological defense mechanisms from the position of their adaptability for the individual. Thus, there is a need to describe the similarities and differences in the use of different groups of psychological defenses by a person from the position of their adaptive function.Purpose setting. The main objective of the study is to identify differences in the use of adaptive and maladaptive defense mechanisms by individuals with a predominance of various types of sensitivity to justice.Methodology and methods of the study. The empirical study was carried out by testing the following methods: «Questionnaire of sensitivity to justice» (authors A. A. Adamyan, S. K. Nartova-Bochaver, M. Schmitt), and «Method of measuring psychological protection» (authors R. F. Suleymanov, E. R. Pilyugina), then – by methods of mathematical statistics: cluster (the method of complete-linkage and K-means clustering) and comparative analysis (the H criterion of Kruskal-Wallis).Results. Differences in the use of groups of psychological defense mechanisms by persons with various types of sensitivity to justice were identified and described.Conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that there are groups of people with a predominance of one particular type of sensitivity to justice. Differences were found in the manifestation of groups of psychological defense mechanisms in individuals with various types of sensitivity to justice, differing in their adaptability for the individual. The most adaptive defenses are used by persons with a predominance of sensitivity to the justice of the offender, the least adaptive – with sensitivity to the justice of the victim; individuals with sensitivity to the justice of the beneficiary and witness tend to use neurotic defenses.

Four attachment-based categories of emotion regulation in adolescent psychic troubles.

Emotion regulation is altered in many psychiatric disorders in adolescence, but the understanding of mechanisms that underlie this alteration is still poor. The PERCEPT study explores alexithymia, empathy, facial emotion recognition (FER) and defence mechanisms in a sample of adolescents in psychiatric care (n = 61, 74% of girls, mean age = 15.03 y.o.), in relation with participants' attachment styles. Results revealed correlations between attachment dimensions and all of the emotion regulation variables, suggesting that attachment modalities have functional links with emotional regulation at its different levels: FER accuracy was inversely correlated with avoidant attachment, while affective empathy, difficulty in identifying feelings (alexithymia) and immature as well as neurotic defence mechanisms were positively correlated with anxious attachment. Moreover, attachment categories delineated distinct emotional perception profiles. In particular, preoccupied attachment included adolescents with the highest levels of facial emotion perception (sensitivity and accuracy) and of affective empathy, whereas detached attachment included adolescents with the lowest levels of these variables. Neurotic defence mechanisms and difficulty to identify feelings were correlated with preoccupied attachment; immature defence mechanisms and difficulty to describe feelings to others characterized fearful attachment. These results suggest that attachment categories underlie emotion regulation processes in psychiatric disorders in adolescence. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Investigation of Differences in Early Maladaptive Schemas and Defense Mechanisms in Individuals with Gender Identity Disorder Compared to Normal Individuals

This study aimed to investigate the differences in early maladaptive schemas and defense mechanisms between individuals with gender identity disorder and normal individuals. The research design was causal-comparative. The study population comprised all individuals with gender identity disorder (female to male and male to female) and normal individuals in Shiraz city in the year 2023. Out of the population, 30 individuals with gender identity disorder who attended forensic medicine, psychiatric clinics, and gender change centers in Shiraz, and 30 normal individuals were selected through convenience sampling and studied. Young's Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) were used for data collection. After data collection and extraction, the participants' scores were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis of variance with the SPSS-24 statistical software. The findings indicated significant differences in early maladaptive schemas (rejection and disconnection, impaired autonomy and performance, other-directedness, overvigilance and inhibition, and impaired limits) between individuals with gender identity disorder and normal individuals (p &lt; .01). The results also showed significant differences in neurotic defense style and immature defense style between individuals with gender identity disorder and normal individuals (p &lt; .01); and a significant difference was found in the mature defense style between the two groups (p &lt; .05). Therefore, by identifying immature defense mechanisms and early maladaptive schemas and measuring their severity in individuals with gender identity disorder, psychological interventions (psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapy) alongside other medical actions can be employed to reduce the severity of these mechanisms and schemas.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Alexithymia, and Defense Mechanisms Among Medical Students of Northeastern Iran

Background: Defense mechanisms are essential to personality and behavior that help individuals deal with stress. These mechanisms might act in different ways, rendering medical students caring physicians or egoistic individuals, and thus, a good understanding of defense mechanisms can contribute to the efforts made to improve the psychological well-being of medical students. Objectives: We studied the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and alexithymia as determinants of psychological well-being and the mechanisms by which medical students might cope with stress and anxiety. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 232 medical students, 126 (60%) females and 96 (40%) males, in northeast Iran. Data were collected through GAD-7, the Farsi version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (FTAS-20), and the Defense Styles Questionnaire (DSQ-40). Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS 22.0. Pearson's chi-square test, bivariate correlations, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to identify associations between GAD, alexithymia, and defense mechanisms. Results: A total of 87 (37.5%) participants showed moderate to severe anxiety. Alexithymia was detected in 49 (21%) participants. Mature defense mechanisms had the highest prevalence among participants (56.5%), while immature mechanisms had the least (23.3%). A significant positive correlation was noted between GAD and alexithymia. Also, GAD was positively correlated with immature and neurotic defense mechanisms (P &lt; 0.05). A negative correlation was found between mature defense mechanisms and GAD (P &lt; 0.001). Suppression and humor (mature mechanisms) were the negative predictors of GAD. Reaction formation, somatization, autistic fantasy, splitting, passive aggression, displacement, and pseudo-altruism (an immature and neurotic mechanism) were the positive predictors of GAD. Conclusions: The statistically significant correlations found among GAD, alexithymia, and defense mechanisms suggest that a good understanding of these conditions and mechanisms can contribute to alleviating anxiety among medical students and improving their psychological well-being.

Mediating Role of Coping Strategies and Defense Mechanisms in Relationship of Mental Health, Resilience, and Perceived Social Support with Posttraumatic Growth in COVID-19 Survivors

Background &amp; Aims: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive changes resulting from trauma. As a traumatic stressor, COVID-19 can affect various aspects of one’s life. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of coping strategies and defense mechanisms in the relationship of PTG and mental health, resilience, and perceived social support in COVID-19 survivors. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a path analysis method from the correlation matrix. The research population included all COVID-19 recovered patients in Golestan province, Iran. Using the convenience sampling method, 300 patients who recovered from COVID-19 were selected. The participants were given questionnaires online. The research instruments included the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOC). The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS and AMOS version 25. Results: The findings of SEM revealed that the model fits the data. The relationship between problem-focused coping strategies and PTG, mental health, and perceived social support, the relationship between PTG and perceived social support, resilience, and mental health, and the relationship between mature defense mechanisms and PTG, mental health, resilience, and perceived social support were positive and significant (P&lt;0.01). The relationship between emotion-focused strategies and PTG, resilience, and perceived social support, the relationship between neurotic defense mechanisms and mental health, resilience, PTG, and perceived social support, and the relationship between immature defense mechanisms and mental health, resilience, and PTG were negative and significant (P&lt;0.01). Furthermore, the direct path analysis revealed that the relationships between mental health and emotion-focused strategies and between perceived social support and immature defense mechanisms were not significant. Conclusion: The study results suggested that mental health, resilience, perceived social support, as well as problem-focused coping strategies played a crucial role in increasing PTG in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, they can be utilized to reduce the mental damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ego-defense mechanisms and brief psychotherapies for the management of major depressive disorder in adults: A longitudinal and quasi-experimental study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of psychotherapies on ego defense mechanisms and the reduction of depressive symptoms in a 12-month follow-up period. MethodsThis longitudinal and quasi-experimental study nested within a randomized clinical trial included a clinical sample of adults (18–60 years) diagnosed with major depressive disorder using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Two models of psychotherapy were used: Supportive Expressive Dynamic Psychotherapy (SEDP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Defense Style Questionnaire 40 was used to analyze defense mechanisms and the Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure the depressive symptoms. ResultsThe total sample comprised 195 patients (113 SEDP and 82 CBT), with the mean age was 35.63 (11.44) years. After adjustments, increased mature defenses was significantly associated with reduced depressive symptoms at all follow-up times (p < 0.001) and the decrease in immature defenses was significantly associated with the reduction of depressive symptoms at all follow-up times (p < 0.001). While neurotic defenses were not associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms at any time of follow-up (p > 0.05). ConclusionBoth models of psychotherapy were effective in increasing mature defenses and decreasing immature ones, as well as decreasing depressive symptoms at all evaluation times. With this, it is understood that a greater understanding of these interactions will allow a more adequate diagnostic and prognostic evaluation and the design of useful strategies that adapt to the patient's reality.

The psychodynamic role of the displacement defense mechanism in people with obesity and anorexia nervosa

IntroductionFeeding plays a very important role in our lives. First of all survival, but in general it has a much wider and important social role. Through feeding, in addition to satisfying life’s needs and basic instincts, we experience a sense of satisfaction through the investment of libido. Anorexia nervosa and obesity as the two extremes of eating disorders can be considered as a disturbed experience of the satisfaction of eating, and in the background there is usually a very weak, fragile personality structure. A fragile personality structure tends to use primitive defense mechanisms, but the use of healthier, neurotic defense mechanisms in people with eating disorders should not be neglected.Objectives To investigate the role of the psychological defense mechanism of displacement in people with obesity and anorexia nervosa.MethodsSearch of contemporary professional and scientific literature in the field of psychodynamics of eating disorders.ResultsDisplacement is a defense mechanism in which, when faced with a problem, the problem is not solved with the initial object of aggression, but the problem is moved to another object or situation that the individual perceives as less dangerous. Thus, when faced with a stressful situation or sadness, obese people may have a need for emotional eating, which can be interpreted as displacement of the problem, which is temporarily “solved” by satisfying the basic instinct, but later the person becomes overwhelmed by internal and external shame. Equally so, a traumatic upbringing and disturbed interpersonal family dynamics, which are often present in people with anorexia nervosa, can cause anxiety drives that are displaced in the form of the need for a strong restriction of food intake.ConclusionsIn people with obesity and anorexia nervosa, the use of the defense mechanism of displacement is pointed out. Through psychodynamic psychotherapy it can be very useful to recognize and interpert the use of displacement and, thus to enable reaching a neurotic and healthier level of functioning in people with the aforementioned eating disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Approximating defense mechanisms in a national study of adults: prevalence and correlates with functioning

Despite the clinical relevance of defense mechanisms, there are no published studies in nationally representative samples of their prevalence, correlates, and association with psychosocial functioning. We sought to estimate the prevalence and correlates of 12 defense mechanisms in the general adult population by approximating from items used to assess personality traits in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a representative sample of US adults (N = 36,653). We examined the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of 3 types of defenses mechanisms (pathological, immature, and neurotic). For each defense mechanism, we used the Short-Form 12 to compare psychosocial functioning among 3 groups: those who (1) endorsed the mechanism with self-recognized impairment, (2) endorsed the mechanism without self-recognized impairment, and (3) did not endorse the defense mechanism. The prevalence of defense mechanisms ranged from 13.2% (splitting) to 44.5% (obsessive/controlling behavior). Pathological defenses were more strongly associated with immature defenses (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 5.2–5.6) than with neurotic defenses (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.9–2.0), whereas the association between immature and neurotic defenses had an intermediate value between the other two (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 2.1–2.2). Pathological and immature defenses were associated with younger age, having been never married, lower educational attainment, and lower income. After adjusting the crude results for age and sex, individuals who did not endorse a given defense generally had higher scores on the mental health component of the SF-12 than those who endorsed the defense without self-recognized impairment who, in turn, had on average higher scores than those with self-recognized impairment. These results suggest that neurotic, immature, and pathological defense mechanisms are prevalent in the general population and associated with psychosocial impairment. Recognizing defense mechanisms may be important in clinical practice regardless of treatment modality.

Does pandemic denial help or harm? Belief in and experience of COVID-19 as factors affecting psychological consequences of using neurotic defence mechanisms

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic may activate thoughts of death, leading to aversive psychological states. In such situations, defence mechanisms emerge; however, their adaptability depends on many factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between neurotic defence style and depressive symptoms. We assumed that the sense of coherence underlies this correlation and investigated how both believing (or not) in COVID-19 and having (or not) experience of this disease differentiate this mechanism. Methods: This cross-sectional study (N = 720) was conducted through an online panel. Results: For COVID-19 believers who had no experience of the disease, the higher their neurotic defence style, the lower their sense of coherence, which was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. The same pattern was found for non-believers who have experienced COVID-19. In the group of individuals who believed and experienced COVID-19, the relationship between neurotic defence style and sense of coherence was non-significant. In turn, respondents who neither believed in nor have experienced COVID-19 displayed a positive relationship between neurotic defence style and sense of coherence. Discussion: Although self-deception strategies might be adaptive, they contribute to increased distress, if continued to be used once an individual confronts reality.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF EGO-DEFENCE MECHANISMS AMONG THE MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Background: Ego defence mechanisms (or factors), dened by Freud as the unconscious mental process used by the ego to reduce conict between the id and superego, are a reection of how an individual deals with conict and stress in other words anxiety. This study assesses the prevalence of various ego defence mechanisms used by medical students of Mumbai, which has higher stress and anxiety levels than the general population of India. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 700 students from four major medical colleges of Mumbai over 4 weeks. Ego defence mechanisms were assessed using the Defence Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40) individually and as grouped under Mature, Immature, and Neurotic factors. Results: Lower mean scores of Immature defence mechanisms (4.78) were identied than those for Neurotic (5.62) and Mature (5.60) mechanisms. Immature mechanisms were more commonly used by males whereas females used more Neurotic mechanisms than males. Neurotic and Immature defences were signicantly more prevalent in rst and second-year students. Mature mechanisms were signicantly higher in students enrolled in Government colleges than other private institutions (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Immature defence mechanisms were less commonly used than Neurotic and Mature mechanisms. The greater use of Neurotic defences may reect greater stress levels than the general population. The use of these mechanisms was associated with the female gender.