What are defense mechanisms?
Automatic psychological processes that reduce anxiety and protect the ego from emotional distress.
Are defense mechanisms conscious or unconscious?
Most defense mechanisms operate unconsciously, although a few involve conscious choices.
What is the primary purpose of defense mechanisms?
To decrease anxiety and help an individual cope with internal conflict or stressful situations.
Can defense mechanisms be healthy or unhealthy?
Many can be adaptive when used appropriately but become maladaptive when overused or used inappropriately.
Which two defense mechanisms are always considered mature and healthy?
Altruism and sublimation.
When does a defense mechanism become maladaptive?
When it interferes with functioning, relationships, or accurate perception of reality.
What is the nursing goal when a client uses defense mechanisms?
Maintain a therapeutic relationship while promoting healthier coping strategies.
Define altruism.
Reducing personal anxiety by helping or serving others.
Define compensation.
Emphasizing strengths to offset real or perceived weaknesses.
Define conversion.
Unconscious expression of psychological conflict as physical symptoms without an identifiable medical cause.
Define denial.
Refusing to accept or acknowledge reality to avoid emotional distress.
Define displacement.
Redirecting emotions from the original source to a less threatening person or object.
Define dissociation.
Temporary separation of memory, identity, consciousness, or perception from awareness.
Define identification.
Adopting the traits, attitudes, or behaviors of another person or group.
Define intellectualization.
Using facts and logic while avoiding emotional responses.
Define introjection.
Internalizing another person's beliefs or values as one's own.
Define projection.
Assigning one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else.
Define rationalization.
Creating logical explanations to justify unacceptable behaviors or feelings.
Define reaction formation.
Expressing behaviors or emotions opposite to one's true unacceptable feelings.
What makes a defense mechanism adaptive?
It reduces anxiety while supporting healthy functioning, relationships, and realistic thinking.
Why should nurses identify defense mechanisms?
To understand how clients cope with stress and promote healthier coping strategies.
How should nurses respond to maladaptive coping?
Encourage insight and assist the client in developing healthier coping skills.
Define regression.
Returning to behaviors typical of an earlier developmental stage in response to stress.
Define repression.
Unconsciously blocking distressing thoughts, memories, or feelings from awareness.
Define splitting.
Viewing oneself or others as all good or all bad without integrating both positive and negative qualities.
Define sublimation.
Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable and productive activities.
Define suppression.
Consciously choosing to postpone thinking about distressing thoughts or emotions.
Define undoing.
Attempting to reduce guilt by performing actions meant to make up for previous behavior.
Which defense mechanism involves consciously delaying unpleasant thoughts?
Suppression.
Which defense mechanism is unconscious: repression or suppression?
Repression.
Which defense mechanism commonly appears as black-and-white thinking?
Splitting.
Which defense mechanism is characterized by childlike behavior during stress?
Regression.
Which defense mechanism produces physical symptoms without an organic cause?
Conversion.
Which defense mechanism involves refusing to accept reality?
Denial.
Which defense mechanism transfers emotions to a safer target?
Displacement.
Which defense mechanism falsely assigns one's own feelings to another person?
Projection.
Which defense mechanism explains unacceptable behavior with logical excuses?
Rationalization.
Which defense mechanism hides true feelings by expressing the opposite?
Reaction formation.
Which defense mechanism adopts another person's characteristics?
Identification.
Which defense mechanism relies on facts while avoiding emotions?
Intellectualization.
Which defense mechanism incorporates another person's beliefs into one's self-concept?
Introjection.