title: Changes of adolescents' defence mechanisms during the first year of high school education.
abstract: The goal of this study was to analyse the defence mechanism's changes during adolescent's adaptation to the new schooling terms at the first year in high school. Sample of 266 students, mean age 15, have been included in the research. Kellerman's Life Style Questionnaire (LSQ) was administred for measuring defence mechanisms at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Results show that regression and reactive formation are changing at most; regression raises (p < 0.005) while reactive formation decreases (p < 0.000). Boys used repression, while girls reactive formation more frequently in both measuring. Displacement was 'male" defence in the first measuring; but at repeated measuring this difference in sex vanished. The sources of anxiety can be found partly in new school environment and in adolescent's effort to "solve the problem" with sexual impulses and aggression using different sets of defences.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinic, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia. mirjana.graovac@ri.t-com.hr
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graovac
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pernar
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrić
authors.forename: Klementina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruzić
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Girotto
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Francisković
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017523:Croatia; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires