title: Defensive functioning predicts improvement in major depressive episodes.
abstract: We investigated the predictive effect of psychological defenses on the course of major depression in a subsample of psychiatric patients from a larger study. We tested the hypothesis that a group of eight defenses, associated with depression in previous research, would predict, outcome of major depression. After an intake interview, 37 patients were rated on all DSM-III-R Axes, the SCL-90-R, and 28 defenses, using the Defense Mechanism Rating Scales. At 6-month follow-up interview, SCL-90-R and Global Assessment and Functioning (GAF) were redetermined on 34 (92%), 16 of whom had major depression at intake. Overall Defensive Functioning (ODF) significantly predicted GAF at 6-month follow-up over and above initial level of global functioning and presence of a personality disorder. The group of eight defenses were identified more often (p = .068) in depressed patients who improved less than predicted by their initial functional status. The high adaptive level defense, self-observation, was identified more often in those who improved more than predicted by their initial status. Our findings support the theory of a hierarchy of defenses, and the mediating effects of specific low and high adaptive level defenses on the course of a major depressive episode. Further research should examine passive aggression, acting out, help-rejecting complaining, splitting of self-images, splitting of others' images, projective identification, projection, and devaluation in relationship to the onset, course, and treatment response of depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Høglend
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index