Preliminary Findings on the Associations Between Defense Mechanisms and Implicit Versus Explicit Negative Affect

Since the initial conceptualization of defense mechanisms by Freud (1923), it is assumed that defense mechanisms are mental operations that serve to keep unpleasant affects out of awareness. Empirical evidence on how defense mechanisms varying in terms of their adaptiveness relate to implicit versus explicit negative affect, however, is missing. In the present study, we aimed to fill this gap and investigated how participants' habitual use of defense mechanisms was related to both explicit and implicit negative affect. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional study with N = 254 participants, using bifactor structural equation modeling. Distinct associations between defense mechanisms and the latent residual of implicit negative affect were explored. Results revealed that higher usage of defense mechanisms-independent of their adaptivity-was significantly related to higher levels of implicit negative affect. More reported usage of intermediate and maladaptive defense mechanisms was associated with more explicitly reported negative affect. Limitations, theoretical and practical implications of the findings, and future directions are discussed. 自从西格蒙德·弗洛伊德(Freud, 1923)对防御机制的最初概念化以来,人们就认为防御机制是用于将不愉快的影响排除在意识之外的心理操作。然而,防御机制在其适应性方面如何和隐性与显性影响相关,这方面的实证证据是缺失的。在此项研究中,我们旨在填补这一空白,调查了参与者习惯性使用防御机制与其显性隐性影响之间的关系。我们使用双因素结构方程建模,分析了N = 254名参与者的横断面研究的数据。我们探讨了防御机制与隐性负面影响的潜在残余之间的明显关联。结果显示,防御机制的更多使用--与其适应性无关--与较高层次的隐性负面影响显著相关。更多报告的对中间及适应不良的防御机制的使用与更明确报告的负面影响相关。本文还讨论了研究结果的局限性、理论及实践的意义以及未来的方向。