Maladaptive & Adaptive Defense Mechanisms

Altruism

a largely unconscious motivation to feel caring and concern for others and act for the well-being of others

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Compensation

used to counterbalance perceived deficiences by emphasizing strengths

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Conversion

the unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause

(only maladaptive; is almost always a pathological defense)

Denial

involves escaping unpleasant, anxiety-causing thoughts, feelings, wishes, or needs by ignoring their existence

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Displacement

the transference of emotions associated with a particular person, object, or situation to another nonthreatening person, object, or situation

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Dissociation

a disruption in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment that results in compartmentalizing uncomfortable or unpleasant aspects of oneself

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Identification

attributing to oneself the characteristics of another person or group, may be done consciously or unconsciously

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Intellectualization

a process in which events are analyzed based on remote, cold facts and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the processing

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Projection

the unconscious rejection of emotionally unacceptable features and attributing them to others

(only maladaptive use, considered an immature defense mechanism)

Rationalization

consists of justifying illogical or unreasonable ideas, actions, or feelings by developing acceptable explanations that satisfy the teller and the listener

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Reaction

formed is when unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled and kept out of awareness by developing the opposite emotion or behavior

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Regression

reverting to an earlier, more primitive and childlike pattern of behavior that may or may not have been exhibited previously

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Repression

an unconscious exclusion of unpleasant or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Splitting

the inability to integrate the positive and negative qualities of oneself or others into a cohesive image

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Sublimation

an unconscious process of transforming negative impulses into less damaging and even productive impulses

(can only be used as an adaptive defense mechanism)

Supression

the conscious decision to delay addressing a disturbing situation or feeling

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Undoing

when a person makes up for a regrettable act or communication

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman anonymously donates to her colleague’s GoFundMe campaign.”

Altruism, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A neighbor compulsively rescues cats and kittens to the detriment of the animals’ and his own health and safety.”

Altruism, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A shorter-than-average man becomes assertively verbal and excels in business.”

Compensation, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman drinks alcohol when her self-esteem is low to temporarily ease her discomfort.”

Compensation, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man becomes blind after seeing his wife enter a hotel room with another man.”

Conversion, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man reacts to the death of a loved one by saying, “No, I don’t believe you,” to initially protect himself from the overwhelming news.”

Denial, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman whose husband died 3 years earlier still keeps his clothes in the closet and talks about him in the present tense.”

Denial, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A child yells at his teddy bear after being picked on by the school bully.”

Displacement, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A child who is unable to acknowledge fear of his father becomes fearful of animals.”

Displacement, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “An art student is able to mentally separate herself from a noisy environment as she becomes absorbed in her work.”

Dissociation, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “As the result of an abusive childhood and the need to separate from its realities, a woman finds herself perpetually disconnected from reality.”

Dissociation, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “An 8-year-old girl dresses up like her teacher and puts together a pretend classroom for her friends.”

Identification, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A boy dresses and talks like a neighborhood drug dealer and starts his own “gang.”

Identification, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “Despite having lost his farm to a tornado, a man analyzes his options and leads his child to safety.”

Intellectualization, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man responds to the death of his wife by focusing on the details of day care and operating the household rather than processing the grief with his children.”

Intellectualization, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman who has repressed an attraction toward other women refuses to socialize. She fears that another woman will come on to her.”

Projection, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “An employee says, “I didn’t get the raise because the boss doesn’t like me.”

Rationalization, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man who believes that his son was fathered by another man excuses his harsh treatment of the boy by saying, “He is lazy and doesn’t listen to me,” when that is not true.”

Rationalization, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A recovering alcoholic constantly talks about the evils of drinking.”

Reaction, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman who has an unconscious hostility toward her daughter is overprotective and hovers over her to protect her from harm, interfering with her normal growth and development.”

Reaction, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A 4-year-old boy with a new baby brother temporarily starts sucking his thumb and asking for a baby bottle.”

Regression, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man who loses a promotion starts complaining to others, hands in sloppy work, misses appointments, and comes in late for meetings.”

Regression, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “After a marital fight, a man forgets his spouse’s birthday.”

Repression, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman is unable to enjoy sex after having pushed out of awareness a traumatic sexual incident from childhood.”

Repression, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A 26-year-old woman initially values her acquaintances yet invariably becomes disillusioned when they turn out to have flaws.”

Splitting, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman who is angry with her boss channels her feelings into housework until her house is sparkling clean.”

Sublimation, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A businessman who is preparing to make an important speech is told by his wife that morning that she wants a divorce. Although visibly upset, he puts the incident aside until after his speech, when he can give the matter his total attention.”

Supression, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A woman who feels a lump in her breast shortly before leaving for a 3-week vacation puts the information in the back of her mind until after she returns from her vacation.”

Supression, maladaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “After flirting with her male secretary, a woman brings her husband tickets to a concert he wants to see.”

Undoing, adaptive

Name the defense mechanism and whether it is adaptive or maladaptive: “A man with rigid, moralistic beliefs and repressed sexuality is driven to wash his hands to gain composure when he is around attractive women.”

Undoing, maladaptive

Splitting

the inability to integrate the positive and negative qualities of oneself or others into a cohesive image

(only maladaptive, almost always a pathological defense)

Sublimitation

an unconscious process of transforming negative impulses into less damaging and even productive impulses

(only adaptive / always constructive)

Suppression

the conscious decision to delay addressing a disturbing situation or feeling

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)

Undoing

when a person makes up for a regrettable act or communication

(has both adaptive & maladaptive uses)