Are Defense Styles Mediators between traumatic Experiences and Maladaptive Daydreaming?

Background Nursing is a demanding and stressful profession and puts the health of nurses at risk. One concept that has always been associated with the word ‘anxious’ is called defensive style. Sigmund Freud used this term to indicate how people use mechanisms to protect themselves from psychological trauma. Objectives This study investigated the role of spiritual intelligence in predicting the defensive style of nursing students. Methods This descriptive-survey and correlation study included all nursing students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who were studying in the 2012 - 2013 academic year. Of these, 310 were randomly selected by cluster sampling and responded to king spiritual intelligence and defense style questionnaire DSQ-40. The collected data was analyzed using Pearson correlation and simple linear regression. Results The findings indicate that a positive and significant relationship exists between spiritual intelligence and its components [critical existential thinking, personal meaning production, transcendental awareness, and conscious state expansion] with defense styles (P < 0.001). Also, the relationship between spiritual intelligence and its components and neurotic and immature defense styles is negative and significant (P < 0.001). Results of the regression analysis showed that spiritual intelligence could positively and significantly predict mature defense styles and could negatively and significantly predict immature and neurotic defense styles. Conclusions Based on the results, it can be concluded that students with a higher spiritual intelligence use less neurotic and immature defense styles and more mature defense styles.

A latent profile analysis of dispositional hope and defense styles

Existing literature from high-resource settings suggests that exposure to traumatic life events is associated with increased risk for psychosis. Research on how people with psychosis in South Africa perceive and make sense of their past traumatic life events is lacking. This study aimed to understand the lived experiences of persons living with psychosis in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The study explored how individuals living with psychosis describe and conceptualize their traumatic life experiences and how it impacted them. We used a qualitative narrative research study design. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted in English and/or isiZulu with 19 adult patients with early psychosis who were receiving treatment at provincial hospitals in the eThekwini district in KZN, South Africa (mean age = 28.7±7.6, mostly male (68%) and unemployed (74%)). We analysed transcribed data using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Participants’ descriptions of traumatic life experiences included parent-child relationship disruption during their formative years and other adverse events associated with being separated from their parental figures including residential instability, financial hardship, sexual and physical abuse, and peer and community violence. Participants also described the experience of psychosis as a traumatic event. These traumatic experiences led to sense of loss for some participants, while others described post-traumatic stress symptoms including reexperiencing their trauma memories through psychotic episodes. The study provides clinical insight on the experiences of trauma among people with psychosis and highlights the need for adopting a trauma-informed service model in early psychosis care in South Africa.

Introduction The early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), behavioral inhibition system (BIS), and behavioral approach system (BAS) can play a role in using defense styles, especially in drug abuse which may be a maladaptive defense style. Aim The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between EMS and BIS/BAS with defense styles in the Iranian abusers of natural drug. Material and methods In a cross-sectional design, we examined 316 abusers of natural drug (including abusers of opium and opium sap, henbane and marijuana) admitted at Niyayesh addiction treatment clinic in the city of Shiraz, Iran (male – 61.4%, female – 38.6%). Results and discussion Correlational analyses revealed that EMSs were correlated positively with both neurotic and immature defense styles, and negatively with mature defense style. Also, BIS and all BAS subscales were related to both neurotic and immature defense styles, and each of BAS subscales was negatively associated with mature defense style. Finally, there were significant sex differences in EMSs, BIS, BAS subscales, and defense styles. Conclusions We concluded that the EMSs, excess BIS and BAS subscales are important variables in using maladaptive defense styles and subsequently in tending toward natural drug abuse in the abusers of natural drug.

Introduction:Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) use immature defense styles, and AUD is related with adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Harm avoidance (HA) is related with both AUD and particularly inattentiveness (IN) dimension of ADHD.Aim:The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of defense styles with probable ADHD and severity of ADHD symptoms while controlling the effect of HA among male inpatients with AUD.Settings and Design:The present study with cross-sectional design was conducted at the Alcohol and Drug Research, Treatment and Training Center (AMATEM) of Bakirkoy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry Neurology and Neurosurgery in Istanbul.Statistical Analysis:Chi-square test, independent samples t-test, multiple logistic and linear regression analyses, and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) were used.Materials and Methods:Participants (n = 151) were evaluated with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, the Defense Style Questionnaire, and the HA Dimension of the Temperament and Character Inventory.Results:HA (particularly HA-1 [anticipatory worry and pessimism]) and immature defense style (particularly acting out) predicted the presence of probable ADHD. In linear regression analysis, HA (particularly HA-1 and HA-4 [fatigability and asthenia]), high immature (particularly acting out), and low mature defense styles predicted the severity of ADHD symptoms. In MANCOVA, immature defense style predicted both the IN and the hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) dimensions of ADHD, whereas HA and IN dimension and low mature defense style predicted HI dimension.Conclusions:These findings suggest that immature defense style (i.e., acting out) is related with both the presence of probable ADHD and severity of ADHD symptoms, together with HA, which must be taken into account while treating patients with ADHD among male populations with AUD.

Relationship of defense styles with history of childhood trauma and personality in heroin dependent inpatients

Objective To explore the characteristics of community empty-nesters sleep quality and psychological defense mechanism, and the correlation between them. Methods 230 empty-nest elderly and 181 non-empty nesters were assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) and Defense style questionnaire(DSQ). Results PSQI score of empty-nest elderly was (14.33±2.48), higher than that of non-empty nesters(t=17.857, P<0.01). Factor score of immature psychological defense style in DSQ was (3.92±1.20), for the mediate defense style was (4.49±1.11), for the wrapping factor was (3.38±1.92). All of them were higher than the scores for non-empty nesters, and the differences were statistically significant (t=4.463, 6.937, 5.404, P<0.01). Factor score for mature psychological defense style in DSQ was (3.96±1.45), and lower than the score for non-empty nesters(t=7.472, P<0.01). Immature defense mechanism of empty-nest elderly was positively related with subjective sleep quality, sleep continuity, sleep disorders, using sleep medicine, dysfunction in the daytime, and the total score in PSQI (r=0.533, 0.145, 0.605, 0.521, 0.497, 0.734). Mature defense mechanism was negative related with sleep latency, sleep continuity, and the total score in PSQI (r=-0.129, -0.542, -0.104). The mediate defense mechanism was positively related with subjective sleep quality, sleep latency and the total score in PSQI (r=0.186, 0.294, 0.131), while negative related with sleep efficiency(r=-0.188). The wrapping factor had a positive correlation with subjective sleep quality, using sleep medicine and the total score in PSQI (r=0.440, 0.431, 0.564). Conclusion Empty-nesters tend to adopt immature defense styles, and most of them have a poor sleeping, which are closely related with each other. Key words: The empty-nest elderlies; Psychological defense mechanism; Sleep quality

目的 探讨防御机制与父母养育方式的关系及大学生防御方式的特点.方法随机抽取医学院校大学生529名,用防御方式问卷和父母养育方式问卷进行调查.结果成熟防御机制与父亲、母亲的情感温暖、理解成正相关(r=0.192,P <0.01,r=0.168,P <0.01);不成熟防御机制与父亲的惩罚、严厉、偏爱被试呈显著正相关(r=0.249,P <0.01,r=0.117,P <0.01),与母亲的情感温暖、理解呈显著负相关(r=-0.189,P <0.01).结论父母养育方式可影响到孩子防御机制的形成,医学生防御方式以成熟型防御方式为主。

The negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on people with Eating Disorders (EDs) has been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a history of traumatic experiences during childhood or adolescence was associated with a higher degree of psychopathological worsening during COVID-19 related lockdown and in the following re-opening period in this group of people. People with EDs undergoing a specialist ED treatment in different Italian services before the spreading of COVID-19 pandemic (n = 312) filled in an online survey to retrospectively evaluate ED specific and general psychopathology changes after COVID-19 quarantine. Based on the presence of self-reported traumatic experiences, the participants were split into three groups: patients with EDs and no traumatic experiences, patients with EDs and childhood traumatic experiences, patients with EDs and adolescent traumatic experiences. Both people with or without early traumatic experiences reported retrospectively a worsening of general and ED-specific psychopathology during the COVID 19-induced lockdown and in the following re-opening period. Compared to ED participants without early traumatic experiences, those with a self-reported history of early traumatic experiences reported heightened anxious and post-traumatic stress symptoms, ineffectiveness, body dissatisfaction, and purging behaviors. These differences were seen before COVID-19 related restrictions as well as during the lockdown period and after the easing of COVID-19 related restrictions. In line with the “maltreated ecophenotype” theory, these results may suggest a clinical vulnerability of maltreated people with EDs leading to a greater severity in both general and ED-specific symptomatology experienced during the exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relative effects of sexual assault and other traumatic life events on self-harm

This study examines the role of spirituality as a moderator of the relationship between traumatic life experiences, mental health, and drug use in a sample of African American women. It was hypothesized that there would be an inverse relationship overall between spirituality and mental health and drug use among this sample of African American women. Secondly, was expected that spirituality would moderate the relationship between traumatic life events and mental health and drug use. African American women (n = 206) were recruited from the community and from probation officers in three urban areas of a southern state, and face-to-face interviews were completed. Findings indicated that there was a main effect for spirituality (as measured by existential well-being on the Spiritual Well-Being Scale) and traumatic life events, mental health, and alcohol use. In addition, spirituality was a significant moderator of the relationship between traumatic life events and cocaine use. Discussion and implications for African American women are included.

It was hypothesized that the adaptive value of hope cognitions would be dependent upon the quality of an individual's defense style. Undergraduate students completed measures of hope, defense mechanisms, and dysphoria in two studies. As predicted, defense mechanisms significantly moderated the relation between hope and dysphoria. In addition, both hope and defense mechanisms predicted dysphoria as main effects. Individuals who had low hope and an immature defense style had particularly high levels of dysphoria. Low hope was not maladaptive for individuals with a mature defense style, suggesting that a subtype of low hope ("defensive hopelessness") may exist that is analogous to defensive pessimism. Individuals with high hope had low levels of dysphoria regardless of defense style. Overall, the present study suggests that an integration of psychodynamic and cognitive perspectives on hope may be productive.

This preliminary study explores the perspectives of at-risk youths from different cultural backgrounds on their well-being. We propose that youths’ “well-being awareness” – i.e. what sources of well-being adolescents spontaneously become aware of when they are asked about – is strongly related to their socio-cultural context, their life experiences, and the time when they reflect about it. This study focused on the meaning of well-being sources, which were constructed by youths from different cultural backgrounds who faced different traumatic life experiences. We developed and applied a theoretical framework to understand youths’ well-being awareness. Focus group discussions were analyzed of 48 male youths aged 12–18 years. They either faced the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 (11 boys from South India), or severe intra-familial conflicts (17 European boys), or were unaccompanied minor refugees (20 boys of Asian and African origin). Youths were asked what makes them happy and sad and about their coping strategies, only followed by questions for clarification. First, the data were analyzed inductively based on grounded theory. Second, the gained well-being descriptions were deductively allocated to the most basic elements of human well-being according to White (2008): material, subjective and relational dimension. Through this allocation process the influence of the socio-cultural context (place), life-experience, and time on the meaning of well-being of each youth group became clear. Well-being should be viewed as a process: on the one hand youths conceptions of well-being are deeply rooted in their culture of origin, on the other hand the importance of well-being and its indicators change depending on youths’ traumatic experience and the time of asking about it.

The aim of the present study was to study the comparison of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), behavioral inhibition/approach systems (BAS/BIS), and defense styles among the Iranian users of opiate, stimulant, and cannabis drugs and healthy subjects since July 2014 to August 2015. In a cross-sectional comparative design, 962 participants including 762 users of opiate (males = 256, females = 142), stimulant (males = 136, females = 112), and cannabis (males = 84, females = 32) drugs and 200 healthy subjects (males = 112, females = 88) were selected and completed the demographic questionnaire, Young Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF), Carver and White BIS/BAS scale, and Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). The results indicated that in EMSs, BIS, BAS-reward responsiveness (BAS-RR), BAS-drive (BAS-D), and defense styles there were significant differences among four groups including opiate, stimulant, and cannabis drugs and healthy subjects. Also, the users of opiate in EMSs, BIS, and immature defense style, the stimulant users in BAS-D, BAS-RR, and neurotic defense style, and the healthy subjects in mature defense style revealed higher means. It is concluded that there were significant differences among the four groups in EMSs, BIS, BAS subscales, as well as maladaptive defense styles.

Relation entre mécanismes de défense et alliance thérapeutique