Gender differences in ego defenses in adolescence: Sex roles as one way to understand the differences.

Abstract

Gender differences in ego defenses were hypothesized in adolescence, with greater internalization by girls and greater externalization by boys. Through the inclusion of sex role constructs (masculinity and feminity, agency and communion, and passivity-dependency), relational models as well as psychoanalytic theory were investigated as bases for sex differences. The Berm Sex Role Inventory and the Defense Mechanism Inventory were administered to 66 high school students (31 boys and 25 girls), ages 14-19. As expected, boys scored higher on projection and aggression-outward defenses and girls scored higher on turning against the self, but girls failed to exceed boys on reversal. Multiple regression supported sex roles as moderating variables in gender differences in defenses. Alternative reconceptualizations of sex roles supported aspects of both psychoanalytic and relational models as explanation of gender differences in defenses.

Ego defense mechanisms in Pakistani medical students: a cross sectional analysis

“…This is consistent with findings made by Watson and Sinha [25] and La Cour [24]. Females are generally more emotionally labile as compared to their male counterparts who are better at splitting emotional components from their thoughts [28], as shown by higher means for Isolation in men in our study.…”

“…The positing of gender differences in defenses on the basis of classical psychoanalytic theory [1] has generally been supported in prior investigations, which state that women tend to use internalizing defenses such as Introversion, and men are more likely to employ externalizing ones [28-30] such as Projection and Aggression [30-32]. …”

Predicting dysphoria in adolescence from actual and perceived peer acceptance in childhood

“…Downloaded by [University of Nebraska, Lincoln] at 12:57 13 October 2014 ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED PEER ACCEPTANCE An important consideration in testing these models is whether the prediction of dysphoria from actual and perceived acceptance differs by sex. Several studies reported that low peer acceptance was more strongly related to dysphoria for girls than boys (Cole, 1991b;Kupersmidt & Patterson, 1991;Morison & Masten, 1991), a finding that fits with the view that girls place more importance on social relationships (e.g., Allgood-Merton, Lewinsohn, & Hops, 1990;Levit, 1991). In contrast to these results, others found that peer acceptance predicted dysphoria better for boys than girls (Block, Gjerde, & Block, 1991;Girgus, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Seligman, 1989).…”

Defense Mechanisms, Behavior, and Affect in Young Adulthood

“…These findings suggest that defense use is moderated by sex role, and thus by social learning (Levit, 1991). They also suggest that females who direct negative affect inwardly are more prone to psychological difficulties, especially depression, as found by Gjerde, Block, and Block (1988).…”