Scientific methods for assessing psychological defences

Abstract

Scientific methods for rating psychological defence mechanisms have over time had problems with unstable reliability and undetermined validity. This article outlines conceptual and historical aspects of these problems and then reviews some of the recent methods for assessing defensive functioning: 1) The Defence Mechanism Test (Kragh); 2) Vaillant's methods; 3) Jacobson's method; 4) The Defense Mechanism Rating Scales (Perry); 5) The Defense Mechanism Inventory (Gleser and Ihilevich); 6) The Life Style Index (Plutchik et al.); and 7) The Defense Style Questionnaire (Bond). Advantages and drawbacks of the different methods are discussed. Currently, no method has established itself as “the gold standard” against which other methods should be measured, although the clinical methods show the most promise.