Defenses in school age children: children's versus parents' report

We tested a questionnaire assessing defenses in school age children and compared the results with their mothers' reports of the same. Thirty-four children (56% male, mean age 8.5) completed the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth (REM-Y) twice over three weeks. Simultaneously, mothers completed the parent version of this measure (REM-P) about their children. In these questionnaires, factor 1 defenses (less adaptive; broken down into intrapersonal and interpersonal defenses) are assessed separately from factor 2, or more adaptive, defenses. Only lower level, interpersonal defenses, such as acting out, were recognized by mothers in their children. The children's intrapersonal defenses, along with factor 2 reactions, were reported less by mothers than by children.