This paper reports on an empirical study of defense mechanisms in 60
psychiatric inpatients. Eight defenses--compensation, denial, displacement,
intellectualization, projection, reaction formation, regression, and
repression--were studied in the context of a two-stage model of suicidal
and violent behavior. The results showed that use of regression as a
defense differentiated suicidal from nonsuicidal patients, and use of
displacement differentiated violent from nonviolent patients. Repression
tended to turn aggression inward, and projection and denial turned
aggression outward.
Abstract Teaser