Psychological defense mechanisms are a powerful and often unappreciated force safeguarding mental health. Although rarely directed in this way, the most common forms of psychiatric treatment-psychotherapy and antidepressants-can enhance psychological defense mechanisms. Psychotherapy, through both specific and nonspecific factors, induces positive perspective shifts favoring positive cognitive ...

Approaching psychological defense mechanisms from the perspective of an evolved strategy, it is proposed that there are two basic templates-dissociation and cognitive distortions. Frequently conceived of as pathological, these psychological phenomena actually constitute overlapping spectrums with milder manifestations being common and highly functional, and more severe variants less common and ...

OBJECTIVES We aimed to assess the defensive profile of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) patients and to investigate the independent associations of psychological distress and personality variables with health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS In 40 primary SS patients we assessed psychological distress (SCL-90-R), ego defense mechanisms (Defense Style Questionnaire), hostility features ...

Although the concept of the defense mechanism was rejected from academic psychology for a number of years, recent empirical studies show renewed interest in defenses. Cognitive psychologists have confirmed the existence of unconscious psychological processes, a requisite for defenses. Developmental, personality, and social psychologists have all found evidence for defense mechanisms that explic...

The Military Health System (MHS) strives to provide high-quality care and improve outcomes for individuals with psychological health conditions. Over the last decade, the MHS has provided care to a growing number of individuals with psychological health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, little is known about the extent to whi...