OPERATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF DEFENSE-MECHANISMS

A model for the operationalization of empirical research of defense me chanisms is presented. Measures for operationalized defense diagnoses are discussed against the background of a cognitive model of different coding of information channels (linguistic and perceptual coding). St udies for the operationalized diagnoses in the clinical assessment of defense mechanism are discussed for the identification of the defense mechanism, reliability of rating procedures, and the prognostic aspect s in psychotherapy and psychosomatics. The regulation of defense on di fferent levels of a hierarchy of complex systems of variables is demon strated with paradigmatic results.