Relationships between defence mechanisms and coping styles among relapsing addicts

• Main Author: Sabri, Farhana
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32295/1/FPP%202012%2033R.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32295/

This study aims to determine the defense mechanisms and coping styles used most by relapsing addicts. In determining the defense mechanisms and coping styles, this study investigates the relationships between defense mechanisms and coping styles used by the relapsing addicts. One primary research objective and ten null hypotheses were developed as a guiding research. A combination between descriptive study and correlational expost facto study employed in this study and a multi stage sampling method was applied in sample selection process. 120 respondents were involved in this study, which were randomly selected from four centers in central zone of Peninsular Malaysia. Defense mechanisms were measured by the Defense Styles Questionnaire-40 (Malay language version) and coping styles were assessed by the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations- adult version (Malay language version). Three defense styles were measured in the DSQ, namely, neurotic, immaturity, and maturity while three subscales were used in the CISS that is task, emotion, and avoidance-oriented coping. The DSQ-40 Malay language version obtains overall Cronbach’s alpha value of .79 while the internal consistency for the CISS was very good at .92 Cronbach’s alpha value. The findings of the study indicate that there is a significant relationship between defense mechanisms and coping styles X2 (4, N = 120) = 2.811, ρ < 0.05. The neurotic defense mechanisms used most by relapsing addicts (M=12.46, S.D=2.14), while task-oriented coping style used most by them (M=58.67, S.D=10.06). The neurotic defense mechanisms are found to be significantly correlated to avoidance, emotion and task coping styles {( r = .0246*, p < 0.05), (r =.471*, p < 0.05), (r = .463*, p , 0.05).} Maturity defense mechanisms are also significantly correlated to all three types of coping styles { ( r = .310*, p < .05), (r = .326* p < .05), (r =.489*, p < .05) } whilst, the immaturity defense mechanisms were found to be correlated with emotional-oriented coping style ( r = .360*, p < 0.05). These findings of this study also demonstrate that relapsing addicts employ multiple defense mechanisms styles as a sub-culture to survive in their addiction. These findings imply that counselors who are working with recovering addicts must possess an adequate competency that includes their knowledge on addiction and its treatment strategies in working with addiction related issues.