PERCEPTUAL DEFENSES AND SELF-RATED PERSONALITY-DISORDERS - A MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS

The relationships between defense mechanisms and personality disorders were explored by means of the Defense Mechanism Test and Millon's Inv entory-II in a group of 100 psychiatric nonpsychotic outpatients. Only few significant positive nonparametric correlations were found, conce rning barrier isolation, intro-aggression, and lack or lateness of the threat. Also a multiple regression analysis evidenced few significant results and mostly in the negative direction. The unpredicted finding s may have been partly determined by a general elevation of personalit y scale scores (due to the emotional distress of psychiatric patients) , leading to a loss of interindividual differences.