[Empirical assessment of defense mechanisms with a self evaluation questionnaire (according to Bond et al.)]

A survey is given on the concept of "defense" and its evaluation in empirical studies. There are serious methodological difficulties in testing the validity of the concept. We translated the "Defense Mechanism Questionnaire" by Bond and collegues and carried out a study on 180 psychotherapeutic out-patients and 100 students as a control group. The results indicate some "pathological" mechanisms without an internal hierarchy or specifity to diagnosis. Self-rating and expert-rating of defense in a sample of 20 patients show very little correlation. The value of selfadministered questionnaires for the investigation of defense mechanisms in our view is at least questionable.