Personality styles and defense mechanisms in a community sample of adolescents: An exploratory study

Abstract

This study aimed to test if the preference for using certain types of defense mechanisms, according to Ihilevich and Gleser’s (1969, 1986) perspective, is associated with personality styles, proposed by Millon (1993), and also, aimed to test if both constructs give a contribution to the identification of global types of psychological functioning in adolescents. Eight hundred and thirty adolescents, ranging in age from 14 to 19 years (M = 16.64, SD = 1.9) participated in the study. The Portuguese versions of the Defense Mechanisms Inventory for Adolescents and the Millon Adolescents Clinical Inventory were administered. Multiple linear regression analysis and principal component analysis were computed. Results demonstrate an association between defense mechanisms and personality styles and both constructs contribute to the identification of two types of psychological functioning in adolescents: an internalizing type and an externalizing type.