Defence style and behaviour therapy outcome in a specific phobia.
The Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) was administered to patients with a specific phobia (animal type; N = 54) and to control subjects (N = 29). Results indicated that specific phobia patients and non-phobic control subjects exhibit a similar pattern of defences. Also, the study investigated whether specific DSQ defence styles affect behaviour therapy outcome. It was found that an immature defence style, and especially the defence mechanism projection, was related to less favourable treatment results.
Muris
P
P
Department of Experimental Abnormal Psychology, Limburg University, The Netherlands.
Merckelbach
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011385:Projection; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013112:Spiders; D016896:Treatment Outcome