DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE

Evidence shows that both in the family environment and in the special protection system, adolescents report abuse or neglect. We aim to explore the defense strategies of adolescents who have suffered abuse or neglect. The psychodynamic concept of defense mechanisms is nowadays considered by profess...

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Main Author: Alina COSTIN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association of Social and Educational Innovation 2025-03-01
Series:International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.aseiacademic.org/index.php/ijsei/article/view/457
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author Alina COSTIN
author_facet Alina COSTIN
author_sort Alina COSTIN
collection DOAJ
description Evidence shows that both in the family environment and in the special protection system, adolescents report abuse or neglect. We aim to explore the defense strategies of adolescents who have suffered abuse or neglect. The psychodynamic concept of defense mechanisms is nowadays considered by professionals with various theoretical orientations to be of great importance in understanding human development and psychological functioning. More than half a century of empirical research has demonstrated the impact of defensive functioning on psychological well-being, personality organization, and treatment outcome. Given a glaring lack in the literature of empirical studies based on the concept of defense mechanisms and childhood abuse and neglect, the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence of relationships between childhood trauma and abuse and the development of defense mechanisms during adolescence. The results indicate associations between maladaptive defense mechanisms (neurotic and immature) with high levels of abuse and neglect, but also the emergence of highly adaptive defense patterns, such as affiliation, sublimation and anticipation. Also, a trend toward negative association was observed between physical and sexual abuse and neglect and most adaptive defense mechanisms.
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spelling doaj-art-5e01f48f76e24dffa520f66c07cb8d9c2025-08-20T03:43:43ZengAssociation of Social and Educational InnovationInternational Journal of Social and Educational Innovation2393-03732025-03-011223DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSEAlina COSTIN0Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad Evidence shows that both in the family environment and in the special protection system, adolescents report abuse or neglect. We aim to explore the defense strategies of adolescents who have suffered abuse or neglect. The psychodynamic concept of defense mechanisms is nowadays considered by professionals with various theoretical orientations to be of great importance in understanding human development and psychological functioning. More than half a century of empirical research has demonstrated the impact of defensive functioning on psychological well-being, personality organization, and treatment outcome. Given a glaring lack in the literature of empirical studies based on the concept of defense mechanisms and childhood abuse and neglect, the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence of relationships between childhood trauma and abuse and the development of defense mechanisms during adolescence. The results indicate associations between maladaptive defense mechanisms (neurotic and immature) with high levels of abuse and neglect, but also the emergence of highly adaptive defense patterns, such as affiliation, sublimation and anticipation. Also, a trend toward negative association was observed between physical and sexual abuse and neglect and most adaptive defense mechanisms. https://journals.aseiacademic.org/index.php/ijsei/article/view/457social protection systemabuseneglectdefense mechanismadolescents
spellingShingle Alina COSTIN
DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation
social protection system
abuse
neglect
defense mechanism
adolescents
title DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
title_full DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
title_fullStr DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
title_full_unstemmed DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
title_short DEFENSE STRATEGIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE
title_sort defense strategies of adolescents with a history of abuse
topic social protection system
abuse
neglect
defense mechanism
adolescents
url https://journals.aseiacademic.org/index.php/ijsei/article/view/457
work_keys_str_mv AT alinacostin defensestrategiesofadolescentswithahistoryofabuse