A Construct Validation Study of the DMRS-SR-30 Defensive Categories Utilizing the Interpersonal Circumplex

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Defense mechanisms are crucial for managing anxiety and maintaining self-concept, impacting personality and relationships.
• Existing self-report measures for defenses lack psychometric soundness, limiting research and clinical application.
• The Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales-Self-Report-30 (DMRS-SR-30) is a new measure assessing overall defensive functioning and specific categories (mature, neurotic, immature).

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the construct validity of the DMRS-SR-30 by assessing its interpersonal characteristics.
• To investigate the relationship between DMRS-SR-30 scores and the interpersonal circumplex (IPC).

Main Methods:

• Utilized self-report data from 361 participants recruited via Amazon's MTurk.
• Employed structural summary method analyses to examine interpersonal characteristics of defensive functioning.
• Correlated DMRS-SR-30 scores with interpersonal problems, efficacies, distress, and misanthropy.

Main Results:

• Results supported the DMRS-SR-30's validity, aligning with theoretical expectations.
• Mature defenses correlated with submissive problems, warm efficacies, low distress, and high interpersonal efficacy.
• Neurotic defenses linked to submissive problems and high distress, while immature defenses associated with dominant problems, high distress, and misanthropy.

Conclusions:

• The DMRS-SR-30 is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing defense mechanisms and their interpersonal correlates.
• Findings highlight the distinct interpersonal profiles associated with mature, neurotic, and immature defense styles.
• The study underscores the utility of the IPC in understanding the interpersonal nature of defense mechanisms.