Personality and Defense Styles: Clinical Specificities and Predictive Factors of Alcohol Use Disorder in Women

Abstract

This study investigated personality traits and defense styles in order to determine clinical specificities and predictive factors of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in women. A female sample, composed of AUD outpatients (n = 48) and a control group (n = 50), completed a sociodemographic self-report and questionnaires assessing personality traits (BFI), defense mechanisms and defense styles (DSQ-40). Comparative and correlational analyses, as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, were performed. AUD women presented with higher neuroticism and lower extraversion and conscientiousness. They used less mature and more neurotic and immature defense styles than the control group. Concerning personality traits, high neuroticism and lower conscientiousness were predictive of AUD, as well as low mature, high neurotic, and immature defense styles. Including personality traits and defense styles in a logistic model, high neuroticism was the only AUD predictive factor. AUD women presented clinical specificities and predictive factors in personality traits and defense styles that must be taken into account in AUD studies. Implications for specific treatment for women are discussed.

The impact of financial defence mechanisms and phantasy on risky investment intention

“…The neurotic style includes defences that change the perception of inner reality without making a big distortion in external reality. Lastly, immature (maladaptive) style includes defence mechanisms that change both internal and external reality perceptions (Ribadier et al , 2016).…”

“…Similarly, the role of gender in the use of defence mechanisms has been investigated (Poikolainen et al , 1995; Cramer, 1987; Furnham, 2012; Ribadier et al 2016). Findings were reported that men use immature defences more than women (Pievsky et al , 2015).…”

“…K 51,1 2. Literature review and hypotheses 2.1 Defence mechanism Defence mechanisms are the mechanisms developed by the individual to protect himself/ herself mentally against the events that cause anxiety and worry (Freud, 1962;Cramer, 1998Cramer, , 2008Ribadier et al, 2016). Humankind has to show both biological and psychological development and adaptation to survive.…”

Personality organisation, traumatic childhood experiences, and alcohol use in a non-clinical group

“…Identity diffusion, characteristic of borderline personality organisation, and the inability to establish and maintain stable intimate relationships can be observed in individuals with AUD (Wojtynkiewicz, 2018). These individuals may also have impaired reality testing (Hiebler-Ragger et al, 2016) and they typically use defence mechanisms based on splitting (Raketic et al, 2009;Ribadier et al, 2016). Consequently, AUD is understood as an attempt to compensate for personality deficits and regulate emotions, which is in line with the widely described self-medication hypothesis (Fuchshuber et al, 2018;Khantzian, 2018).…”

Personality organisation and the tendency to rumination in a group of alcohol-dependent persons

“…Disturbed personality structure may give rise to difficulties in establishing or maintaining a therapeutic relationship (Caligor and Clarkin 2013;Gabbard, 2009), which is a significant predictor of relapse (Nielsen et al, 2007, Wojnar et al, 2007. As indicated by research findings, the personality issues in AUD individuals are manifested in the areas of identity diffusion (which characterises the borderline personality organisation) (Wojtynkiewicz, 2018), reality testing (Hiebler-Ragger et al, 2016) and a tendency to use defence mechanisms based on splitting (Ribadier et al, 2016). Ruminations are a form of cognitive activity involving intrusive and repetitive thoughts (Cann et al, 2011).…”