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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Defensive Functioning Scale: a validity
John H Porcerelli1, Rosemary Cogan, Tsveti Markova
1Department of Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA. jporcer@med.wayne.edu
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|February 8, 2011
Summary
The Defensive Functioning Scale (DFS) effectively measures psychological defenses, showing strong links to psychopathology and trauma history in women. It provides valuable insights beyond standard diagnostic criteria.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Defensive functioning is crucial in psychological health.
- The Defensive Functioning Scale (DFS) is a tool to assess these mechanisms.
- Understanding defense mechanisms' validity is important for clinical assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the Defensive Functioning Scale (DFS).
- To assess DFS's convergent and predictive validity.
- To examine DFS's relationship with life events, psychopathology, and object relations.
Main Methods:
- 110 women from a primary care clinic participated.
- Defense mechanisms and object relations were assessed via research interviews.
- Self-report measures assessed depression, borderline personality disorder, and trauma history.
Main Results:
- The DFS showed good inter-rater reliability.
- Higher adaptive defenses correlated with better object relations.
- Pathological defenses correlated with victimization and symptoms.
- DFS predicted childhood and adult victimization, and psychopathology.
Conclusions:
- The DFS demonstrates good convergent validity with clinical symptoms and trauma.
- DFS provides unique information beyond Axis I and Axis II diagnoses.
- The DFS is a valid measure for assessing psychological defenses.
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