Explorations of the Defense Mechanism Inventory: relationships to self-deception, anxiety, and intelligence

Abstract

The empirical study of defense mechanisms has been impeded by the absence of research designs adequate to either confirm or refute psychodynamic theory (Kline, 1981). One instrument that may offer a reliable and valid tool for studying defense mechanisms is the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI: Gleser & Ihilevich, 1969). The present investigation assessed the validity of a Likertscaled version of the DMI through correlations with measures of self-deception, trait anxiety, and intelligence. Impression management was controlled in all analyses through the use of partial correlations. Results did not support the validity of the DMI as a measure of defense mechanisms, and suggestions were made for scale modifications.