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Defense mechanisms and adjustment in normal adolescents
S J Erickson1, S S Feldman, H Steiner
1Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5540, USA.
Objective:
This study compared self-perception of defense patterns with objective and independent ratings of general adjustment in normal adolescents.
Method:
Self-perception of defense utilization by 140 high school students was measured by an adolescent version of Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire. The DSM-III-R Global Assessment of Functioning Scale was used by clinicians in determining general adjustment.
Results:
Defense style and adjustment were significantly related; greater maturity of defense style was associated with better global adjustment, and conversely, greater immaturity of defense style was associated with a lower level of functioning.
Conclusions:
Adolescents' self-perceived defense patterns have conscious correlates associated with general adjustment. This study extends the validity of the defense mechanism paradigm to the adolescent age group.