Perceptual defenses and self-rated personality disorders: a multivariate analysis.

The relationships between defense mechanisms and personality disorders were explored by means of the Defense Mechanism Test and Millon's Inventory-II in a group of 100 psychiatric nonpsychotic outpatients. Only few significant positive nonparametric correlations were found, concerning barrier isolation, intro-aggression, and lateness of the threat. Also multiple regression analysis evidenced few significant results and mostly in the negative direction. The unpredicted findings may have been partly determined by a general elevation of personality scale scores (due to the emotional distress of psychiatric), leading to a loss of interindividual differences.