Evidence for change in children's use of defense mechanisms.
Using a cohort-longitudinal design, children's use of the defenses of denial, projection, and identification was assessed at four points over a 2-year time span, covering the age period from 6 years, 6 months to 9 years, 5 months. The results showed a clear decrease in the use of denial from early to middle childhood, a sharp increase in the use of projection, and an increase in the use of identification. These findings, predicted by a theory of defense mechanism development, are consistent with cross-sectional results reported previously.
Cramer
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Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA.
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D010553:Personality Development; D002666:Psychology, Child