Psychological Defense Research Articles

ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЕ ВЫГОРАНИЕ ВРАЧЕЙ И СРЕДНЕГО ПЕРСОНАЛА КАК АКТУАЛЬНАЯ МЕДИЦИНСКАЯ ПРОБЛЕМА (ОБЗОР ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ)

This article is dedicated to the literature review of professional (emotional) burnout syndrome (PBS) among physicians and nursing staff with various specializations and experience. It contains information on the occurrence of the syndrome, how long the issue has been explored in the world so far, and the factors that have led to the syndrome development. PBS is the reaction of the body to continuous professional stressors. The main factor is mental exhaustion. PBS is a type of psychological defense in the form of the partial or total suppression of emotions in response to psycho-trauma. As a result, a common emotional behavior emerges among physicians, where emotional burnout starts having adverse effects on professional activity and increases frequency of medical errors. In this regard, not only does the PBS affect the lives of medical staff, but it also has a direct impact on the quality of medical services. The PBS prevention measures on individual, interpersonal and organizational levels lead to increased professional motivation, decreased tension at work, optimized psychophysiological condition, an equilibrium of physical and psycho-emotional costs, and increased level of professional satisfaction.

The Effect of Psychological Self-Defence on the Performance of Graduates Employed in Matched and Mismatched Roles

In today’s competitive job market, most graduates face obstacles in obtaining a job that matches their field and educational level. The lack of jobs related to graduates’ fields and educational levels and to industrial demand in the era of postmodernism has caused psychological tension among graduates. This study predicts that employed graduates who apply mature defence mechanisms show higher work performance compared to graduates who apply immature styles of psychological defence mechanisms. The study also predicts that graduates in matched positions tend to use mature defence mechanisms compared to graduates with job mismatches. To explore this phenomenon, 116 employed graduates from different academic backgrounds shared their views on using mature and immature coping mechanisms in their work performance. The study found that mature self-defence had a positive effect on work performance, while immature defence mechanisms did not show any effect on work performance. Concerning the use of mature and immature defence mechanisms in graduates with matched and mismatched employment, the study revealed that there is no difference between the two groups of graduates in using both types of psychological self-defence. The findings showed that the mature psychological defence mechanisms can be used to understand the factors that contribute to work performance. This can serve as guidance for employed graduates to better perform in their work. For employers, the findings can help them understand their employees’ psychological self-defence in dealing with work challenges in today’s world.

The collective elaboration and co-construction of meaning as a primary resource in the face of the unthinkable of death

Faced with the unthinkable of death, caregivers mobilize their psychological defenses, but sometimes these are overwhelmed. The impact of a patient's death depends on the patient's singularity, the resonance of his or her history, and the way he or she was cared for. Confronted with deaths without being able to represent them, professionals can be overwhelmed, experience anxiety and depression, or reach professional exhaustion. The creation of collective spaces to represent the death of patients allows for the co-construction of meaning and the mobilization of resources.

Особенности проявления механизмов психологической защиты у сотрудников уголовно-исполнительной системы

The article analyzes issues related to the consideration of psychological defense mechanisms used by employees of the penitentiary system in their professional activities. The subject of the article was the results of a psychodiagnostic study. The purpose of the study is to study the features of the manifestation of psychological defense mechanisms among employees of the penitentiary system depending on length of service. The objectives of the work are: characterization of the concept of psychological defense, mechanisms of psychological defense, study of the features of the manifestation of psychological defense mechanisms employees of the penitentiary system. Hypothesis of the article: psychological defense mechanisms help employees of the penitentiary system to cope with negative, traumatic experiences, regulate their current emotional state, but at the same time they contribute to a distortion of the perception of real events and oneself, inadequacy of thinking and behavior, the emergence of illusions, the inability to resolve emerging problems, limiting personal development and growth. The methodological basis of the study was the methods of analysis, synthesis, statistical and system-structural methods. As a result of a psychodiagnostic study using the methods for assessing the psychological defenses of Kellerman G. — Plutchik R. — Comte H.R. “Index of Life Style”, diagnostics of the dominant strategies of psychological defense in communication Boyko V.V. identified the main psychological defense mechanisms used by correctional officers of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Vladimir Region with various lengths of service, in professional activities.

Механизмы психологической защиты и ее доминирующие стратегии в общении у старшеклассников и студентов-первокурсников

The study of psychological defense mechanisms is relevant due to their significance in the development of personality self-regulation as well as their importance in teaching and personal development of high school students and university students. The objective of the study is to identify and compare the features of psychological defense and its dominant communication strategies in high school students and first-year students. The theoretical analysis of the problem showed that it is insufficiently studied. The research hypothesizes that psychological defense of high school students and university students has a similar character, since they can be attributed to the same age group. The study involved high school students of comprehensive schools (n=50, aged 16-17, 30 of them were boys and 20 were girls) and first-year university students (n=100, aged 17-19, 65 of them were boys and 35 were girls) living in the city of Bryansk. To identify the most common types of psychological defense, the “Life Style Index” methodology was used (R. Plutchik, G. Kellerman, H. R. Conte); the study of psychological defense strategies was conducted using the questionnaire “Diagnosis of the dominant strategy of psychological defense in communication” (V. V. Boyko). The obtained data indicate that the manifestation of different types of psychological defense and their dominant communication strategies in the two groups of subjects has a similar character. Statistically significant differences between the indicators (according to the F-test) were not found either, which emphasizes that the subjects belong to the same psychological age – youth. Indeed, the mechanisms of regression and displacement are the center of psychological defense in high school students, and displacement is dominant in university students. The data also show that such psychological defense strategies as placidity and withdrawal (avoidance) prevail in adolescence. The research has revealed significant correlation between non-constructive defense communication strategies and immature, non-adaptive types of psychological defense in high school students and university students. The gathered data contribute to a more complete understanding of the patterns of behavior self-regulation in senior schoolchildren and first-year students. The results can be used in counseling and psychocorrective work of a psychologist, as well as in the process of teaching and personal development of high school students and university students.

Psychological features of women’s codependency during the midlife crisis

The relevance of the research is conditioned upon the rapid spread of the problem of codependency, which has a destructive impact on the psychological state, and social and personal development of a person. The purpose of the research is to determine the psychological traits of codependent women in the period of midlife crisis. The research methodology is based on the methods of critical analysis, synthesis and generalisation of scientific and methodological literature. In the course of the study, the concept of codependence is defined, and the factors of its development are identified. It has been established that the main factor that becomes a prerequisite for the emergence of codependency is upbringing in a dysfunctional family. The psychological features of women’s codependency and their manifestations are described. It has been established that codependent women are characterised by low self-esteem, a desire to control others, using psychological defence mechanisms, self-sacrifice, and caring for others, forgetting about their own needs and feelings. The author analyses the midlife crisis as a factor of personality transformation and a period with a high opportunity to free oneself from codependency. It is determined that during a midlife crisis, a person tries to reassess their life, achievements, and behavioural patterns. The author argues that the midlife crisis can have both destructive consequences, including the loss of the meaning of life, and constructive ones, which are manifested in the discovery of new meanings. The results of the scientific research are designed to generalise theoretical data on the problem of codependency and identify the psychological traits of codependent women. The theoretical significance of the research lies in the systematisation of scientific approaches to the study of codependent personality and the identification of psychological traits of codependent women in the period of midlife crisis.

Psychological defence mechanisms in escaping towards violence in Abbasi poetry

The difficult and simmering conflict between the reality and the higher ego (conscience) imposes on the emerging ego a neutral guiding role by giving each party what it seeks; engaging in the fulfilment of wishes and maintaining himself under the control of the higher ego through a range of mechanisms known as psychological defence mechanisms, which in turn provide the inner psychologist with shipments of temporary psychological comfort and reduce the level of fear and anxiety generated by the danger attached thereto. The study and research will monitor those psychological gestures to which the self-reliant may be a smuggler from the currents of violence pursued and indulged in living well. The equation is upended and violence is directed at the self-help itself, to be a self-suppressor and a deferant. In order to gain the other's affection to achieve what they want, or through another mechanics (The destructive style). it is more violent because it is based on the uprooting of the other and the termination of his existential file in order to achieve self-victories and a sense of temporal pleasure that reveals the collapse of the psychological system of the self-destructive. Automated matching is to muzzle the voice of oneself and fusion with the group of intellectually heterogeneous and stylistically contrary in order to obtain favor and acceptance.

Violencia percibida por estudiantes mexicanos de Enfermería durante sus prácticas clínicas

IntroductionNursing students are frequently exposed to experience some type of violence during clinical practice due to their younger age, less social experience, immature psychological defense mechanisms, among other factors.The objective of this work is to determine the prevalence and experiences of violence during in-hospital clinical practices in nursing students and how their behaviors and emotions are affected. Material and methodsCross-sectional study in 327 nursing students who had completed their semester clinical placements and wished to participate voluntarily. A validated questionnaire was used to collect information on non-physical violence, physical violence and sexual harassment. Results76% of the students had experienced nonphysical violence, followed by sexual harassment with 28.45%. Patients were considered the main perpetrators, followed by the basic medical staff. The most frequent negative personal feelings were stress (32.42%) and confusion (41.89%). ConclusionsStudents perceived high prevalence of non-physical violence, in lower proportion sexual harassment and physical violence with negative impact on personal feelings.

Researching problems in setting goals by students

The article presents the results of an empirical study that reveals the problems of searching, understanding and setting goals by first year students. The study is relevant because it studies the psychological nature of the quality of students’ life in the process of their professional development, since the lack of goals among students is associated with dissatisfaction with life. The socio-psychological personality traits (The Giessen test), psychological defense mechanisms (Kellerman–Plutchik’s Life Style Index), the ability to set goals (D. A. Leontiev’s “Meaningful Life Orientations” methodology) were studied. The authors also analyzed the components of the students’ value-semantic sphere (author’s questionnaire). It is shown that the intensively working mechanisms of psychological defense, reducing the awareness of objective events, form features that impede the process of setting goals, and, consequently, the formation of mature personality traits. It was revealed that the presence of goals is associated with a positive social reputation of students.

Study on the Correlation between Psychological Defense Mechanism and Clinical Features in First-Episode Schizophrenia

Objective: To analyze the correlation between psychological defense mechanism and clinical features in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods: During the period from June 2022 to 2023, a total of 120 patients with first-episode schizophrenia admitted to our hospital were selected as the observation group, and 120 healthy patients were selected as the control group. The correlation between psychological defense mechanism and clinical characteristics of first-episode schizophrenia patients was compared.Result:Compared with the healthy group, the use of immature defense mechanisms and intermediate defense mechanisms is significantly different in the first schizophrenia patients. The scores of various defense mechanisms in female patients are higher than those in male patients. The differences between fantasy, somatization and withdrawal in immature defense mechanisms and sublimation in mature defense mechanisms are obvious.After treatment, the negative scale score of male patients was higher than that of female patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The immature psychological defense mechanism of first-episode schizophrenia is significant, and has a certain correlation with clinical characteristics, and there is a mutual influence relationship.

The role of defense styles and psychopathological symptoms on adherence to conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, individuals felt uncertain and insecure. As a consequence, conspiracy theories flourished and quickly spread. In the current study, we examine the relationship between general and COVID-19-related conspiracy theories, cognitive reflection, psychopathological symptoms, and defense styles in a sample of Italian adults. A total of 450 participants (50.2% male; mean age = 40.89 years, SD = 12.15) took part in an online survey. Two linear regression models on the general (explained variance 22.6%) and COVID-19-related (explained variance 33.0%) conspiracy theories have been tested. Among the predictive factors, older age, mania symptoms, and immature defenses facilitate adherence to conspiracy theories; on the opposite side, higher education, cognitive reflection, and mature defenses protected from adherence to conspiracy theories. The study provides some novel findings about factors that are significantly associated with general and COVID-19-related conspiracy theories, and highlights the pivotal role of individuals’ psychological defenses in conspiracy theories.

A cold war text for the COVID generation

A cold war text for the COVID generation

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

Optimizing the Correction of Depressive Disorders in Patients with Primary Hypothyroidism

IntroductionPopulation recent studies have shown that most patients with endocrine pathology suffer from at least one of the three DCPR syndromes: irritable mood, demoralization (despair), persistent somatization. The thyroid gland is a unique organ among the glands of internal secretion, in the pathology of which non-psychotic mental disorders are extremely common. Therefore, the use of a complex, integrative, systemic approach in the examination of patients with thyroid pathology should be the basis of planning the strategy and tactics of the treatment program for such patients.ObjectivesWe examined 132 patients with primary hypothyroidism.MethodsWe used psychopathological method and an adapted methodology for assessing typologies of psychological defence. It was the method of Robert Plutchik adapted by L.I.Wasserman, O.F.Eryshev, E.B.Klubova for assessment of the next mechanisms of defense: negation, projection, regression, displacement, repression, intellectualization, reactive formation, compensation.ResultsIn 108 patients, who made up 81.12% of the total number of investigated, various forms of non-psychotic mental disorders were detected, among which 23 patients (12.04%) had an anxiety-depressive syndrome, and astheno-depressive syndrome (32.41%).It was established that excessive compensation, projection, reactive formation formed a tendency to increased self-control, to analysis and introspection, self-justification, isolation, which in general influenced the structure of the astheno-depressive syndrome. Insufficient reactive formation, displacement, and excessive intellectualization in a complex contributed to the formation of subjective feelings of anxiety and fear in patients, led to the avoidance of problematic situations, unnatural slowness with behavioral manifestations of anxiety, therefore influenced the structuring of anxiety and depressive disorders at the same time. Thus, significant connections have been established between the intrapsychic level of functioning and the formation of astheno-depressive and anxiety-depressive disorders, which should be used in the planning of psychotherapeutic and psychocorrective measures.ConclusionsThis approach ensures that endocrinologists and general practitioners master the simplest skills for providing psychocorrective care to patients with depressive disorders. It includes the application of elements of rational psychotherapy, in order to form a sense of control over their own condition and the ability to master negative influences, which contributes to stabilization their general condition and improvement of the quality of life. So medical care to such patients should focus on early diagnosis and correction of nonpsychotic mental disorders. Both medications and psychological influences should be used in the treatment of such patients.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

코로나19 팬데믹으로 인한 관광지 지역주민의 심리적 방어기제 연구 : 베일런트 분류 모형에 기반한 다중근거이론적 접근

This study attempted to approach a study on the psychological defense mechanism of local residents of tourist attractions where tourism approaches are insufficient in the context of a COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspective of tourists wearing masks. In addition, the classification model of Vaillant was set as the underlying theory of the psychological defense mechanism. And as complementary, the multi-grounded theory methodology was applied. Based on the paradigm derived from the grounded theory, comparative verification with the four-stage classification system of the Vaillant was performed through multiple grounded theory. As a result of comparative analysis, it was recognized that a new type of defense mechanism was formed, which is not included in the major premise of “the higher the maturity, the higher defense mechanism is formed”, which is a characteristic of the existing Vaillant classification system. This was newly verified and derived defense mechanism in a new area as an ‘unconditional defense mechanism’ area, which cannot be included in the four-stage classification of the Vaillant. As a theoretical implication, first, the research on psychological defense mechanisms was conducted from the perspective of local residents of tourist destinations, not from the perspective of tourists. Second, it provided a cornerstone for re-verifying and supplementing the Vaillant’s psychological defense mechanism classification model. Third, the research was conducted by applying the multi-based theory method. As a practical implication, first, the foundation was laid to respond more realistically to various psychological patterns and changes felt by local residents. Second, it has laid the foundation for realistic countermeasures to prepare for various pandemic situations in the future.

Genesis and psychological role of self-purification and grooming gestures in human pantomimic production

The article proposes a classification of gestures when hiding information from the persons involved. Pantomimic production with fear of exposure has an unconscious origin. It is differentiated into resource gestures that restore the body's homeostasis and adaptive body movements, which refer to the self-preservation reactions of the limbic system to a dangerous stimulus. Gestures - manipulators, as actions that cleanse the body, were singled out by the American psychologist, psychiatrist P. Ekman. According to the authors, the pantomimic production described by P. Ekman has the nature of grooming. The paper considers examples of the cleansing pattern and gestures in primates and humans. Grooming, as a regressive behavior, refers to a psychological defense mechanism, reduces anxiety and neuropsychic stress in case of psychological trauma. In mentally ill patients, self-purification is a marker of dysontogenesis, a manifestation of primitive thinking and behavior in pathology. In healthy individuals, redirection and substitution for scratching the body, pinching, shaking off ‟invisible dust”, pulling clothes, under which negative emotions are disguised, predominate. In instrumental lie detection (verification), gestures - self-cleansing are an indirect marker of deception, if another unconscious pantomime is jointly produced in the external pattern of the interviewed person's behavior. On neutral topics, they signal unformed rapport, situational anxiety, and maladaptation to testing. The appearance of grooming on control topics is the “target” of experienced psychotraumatic events in the subject.

Buffering Anxiety of Pandemics: A Post-pandemic Perspective to Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion

This interdisciplinary study aims to explore the psychological impact of pandemics in cinema with a special reference to Steven Soderbergh’s movie Contagion. The study refers to Orhan Pamuk’s essay, “What the Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us” (2020), about Pandemic novels where he traces the common initial responses to the outbreak of a pandemic by comparing the current coronavirus pandemic and the historical outbreaks of plague and cholera pinpointing the traits attributed to pandemics and suggesting other psychological defense mechanisms. In this respect, the study attempts exploring the re-contextualization of Pamuk’s ideologies in cinema through shedding the light on the functions of camera angle shots, colors, sound effects, point of view, and flashbacks.

Cinematherapy as a method of correction of a personality psychological defense at a young age

Cinematherapy as a method of correction of a personality psychological defense at a young age

The Moderating Role of Attachment Styles in the Relationship Between Childhood Psychological Traumas Level and Defense Styles

Bu çalışmada çocukluk çağı ruhsal travmaları ile savunma mekanizmaları arasındaki ilişkide bağlanma biçimlerinin düzenleyici rolü incelenmiştir. Araştırmada ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları kolayda örnekleme yöntemi ile ulaşılan, yaşları 18-65 arasında değişen 338 kadın ve 245 erkek olmak üzere toplam 583 kişi oluşmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Çocukluk Çağı Ruhsal Travma Ölçeği, Üç Boyutlu Bağlanma Stilleri Ölçeği ve Savunma Biçimleri Testi uygulanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Pearson Korelasyon analizi ve çoklu hiyerarşik lineer regresyon kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, fiziksel ihmalin matür, nevrotik ve immatür savunma tarzlarını yordadığı; duygusal ihmalin matür ve nevrotik savunma biçimlerini, cinsel istismarın ise matür savunma biçimini yordadığı bulunmuştur. Bağlanma boyutları ile savunma biçimleri arasındaki ilişkilerde, güvenli bağlanmanın matür ve nevrotik savunma biçimlerini yordadığı; kaçınmacı bağlanmanın matür, nevrotik ve immatür savunmaları, kaygılı-kararsız bağlanmanın ise nevrotik ve immatür savunmaları yordadığı bulunmuştur. Düzenleyici etki analizi sonuçlarında ise, çocukluk çağı ruhsal travmaları ile nevrotik savunma ve matür savunma biçimlerini kullanma düzeyi arasındaki ilişkide bağlanma boyutlarının düzenleyici bir etkisinin olmadığı, buna karşılık duygusal istismar ile immatür savunma biçimini kullanma arasındaki ilişkide kaçınan bağlanmanın, fiziksel ihmal ile immatür savunma biçimini kullanma arasındaki ilişkide kaygılı-kararsız bağlanmanın düzenleyici etkisi olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bir başka ifade ile duygusal istismara maruz kalmış bireyler eğer kaçınmalı da bağlanırlarsa immatür savunma biçimlerini kullanma düzeyleri daha da artmaktadır. Fiziksel ihmale maruz kalan bireyler kaygılı-kararsız bağlanırlarsa immatür savunma biçimlerini daha çok kullanmaktadır.

An Indian Approach to Anna Freud's Psychological Defense Mechanism through the Bollywood Film English Vinglish

An Indian Approach to Anna Freud's Psychological Defense Mechanism through the Bollywood Film English Vinglish