Psychological defense styles in late adolescence and young adulthood: a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this follow-up study were to examine in both sexes (1) the stability of defense styles from late adolescence to early adulthood and (2) the ability of adolescent defense styles to predict later psychiatric symptoms.

METHOD

Defense styles were examined using the Defense Style Questionnaire. Five hundred sixteen high school students (337 females and 179 males) completed the questionnaire at 15 through 19 years of age, and again 5 years later. In the follow-up examination the General Health Questionnaire was used to assess psychiatric disturbance.

RESULTS

Neurotic and immature defense style scores decreased significantly in both sexes, whereas mature defense style scores did not change significantly. Females had significantly higher neurotic defense style scores than males in both late adolescence and young adulthood. Psychiatric disturbance at follow-up was associated positively with baseline immature defense style scores in both sexes, and negatively with baseline mature defense style scores in females.

CONCLUSIONS

Development of defenses was apparent as a decrease in neurotic and immature defense style scores. In both sexes, immaturity of defenses in late adolescence predicted psychiatric symptoms in young adulthood.