Developmental aspects of psychological defenses: Their relation to self-complexity, self-perception, and symptomatology in adolescents

This study investigated developmental aspects of psychological defenses in relation to self-complexity, self-perception, and symptomatology through a comparison of two groups of adolescents characterized by defense maturity l evel (i.e., immature versus mature defenses). The Defense Style Questionnai re (DSQ-78), the Self-Complexity Inventory (SCI), the Self-Perception Profi le for Adolescents, and the Youth Self Report behavior checklist (YSR) were completed by 79 high school students ranging in age from 15 to 18 years. S ubjects were characterized as either employing predominantly mature or imma ture defensive strategies based on median splits of the two defense factors . Dependent variables included the Self-Complexity Inventory, The Youth Sel f Report and the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. The mature defens e group (N = 26) reported significantly higher self-complexity than the imm ature defense group (N = 26), supporting a developmental approach to defens e mechanisms. In general, mature defense mechanisms seem to be more adaptiv e in late adolescence than immature defenses as indicated by higher global self-worth and fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The findings lend support to the developmental approach to the self and highlight the i mportance of examining psychological indices of development independent of chronological age.