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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Defense mechanism differences between younger and older adults
— a cross-sectional investigation | | Author(s) | Daniel L Segal, Frederick L Coolidge, Hideaki Mizuno |
| Journal title | Aging & Mental Health, vol 11, no 4, July 2007 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis, July 2007 |
| Pages | pp 415-422 |
| Source | http://www.tandfonline.com |
| Keywords | Stress ; Attitude ; Evaluation ; Young adults [20-25] ; Over 70s ; Cross sectional surveys ; United States of America. |
| Annotation | Community-dwelling adults - 259 younger (mean age 19.7) and 69 older (mean age 70.8) - completed the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The aim was to provide evidence of construct validity of a self-reported defence mechanisms scale. Whereas there were no age differences of adaptive defence mechanisms, younger adults scored higher than older adults on the Acting Out, Passive-Aggression, and Regression maladaptive defence mechanism scales. Maladaptive defences were significantly and positively correlated (r=.57) with perceived stress. Cross-sectional results suggest a general stability of adaptive defence mechanisms across the life span but a lessening of maladaptive defence mechanisms with advancing age. These results dispel the myth that old age is associated with inevitable psychological impairment and suggest some specific positive psychological adaptations with age. The correlational findings provide partial support for the construct validity of a self-report measure of defence mechanisms. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-081124222 A |
| Classmark | QNH: DP: 4C: SD6: BBK: 3KB: 7T |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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