Differentiated characteristics of coping strategies and defense mechanisms in individuals with varying levels of emotional stability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/BPSY.2025.1(21).1Keywords:
psychological differences, coping strategies, defense mechanisms, neuroticism, emotional stabilityAbstract
Background. Coping strategies and defense mechanisms regulate behavior, enabling individuals to overcome challenging situations and mitigate the adverse effects of stressors. Emotional traits such as emotional stability, emotional balance, and neuroticism influence the selection of coping strategies and defense mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate how individuals with varying levels of emotional stability employ coping strategies and defense mechanisms.
Methods. The methods employed included: 1. Empirical tools – questionnaires such as the Life Style Index by R. Plutchik, H. Kellerman, and H. Conte; the Ways of Coping Questionnaire by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman; and the Neuroticism Scale by H. Eysenck and G. Wilson. 2. Statistical techniques – Correlation Analysis; K-Means Cluster Analysis; One-Way ANOVA (with Kruskal–Wallis H test as a nonparametric alternative); and Post Hoc multiple comparisons tests, including Scheffé's test (nonparametric alternative: Mann–Whitney U test). The sample comprised 178 individuals aged 20 to 35.
Results. Findings indicated that emotionally stable individuals primarily use coping strategies such as planful problem solving, self-controlling, and the defense mechanism of denial. Conversely, emotionally unstable individuals tend to utilize coping strategies like escape-avoidance, accepting responsibility, and distancing, alongside defense mechanisms like regression, displacement, reaction formation, compensation, and projection. Six types of emotional stability, including neuroticism, were identified, each with distinct coping and defense patterns. A strong tendency toward self-deprecation was linked to defense mechanisms such as displacement and regression. In contrast, higher levels of obsessiveness correlated with the use of projection, reaction formation, and the coping strategy of positive reappraisal.
Conclusions. The degree of emotional stability and the qualitative composition of emotional stability-neuroticism manifestations determine differences in the coping-defense repertoire. These findings reveal the differential nature of coping-defense responses and provide criteria for differentiating the constructiveness of coping-defense repertoires and individual manifestations of neuroticism.
References
Aldwin, C. M., & Park, C. L. (2004). Coping and physical health outcomes: An overview. Psychology and Health, 19(3), 277–281. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 0887044042000193514
Amirkhan, J. H. (1990). A factor analytically derived measure of coping: The Coping Strategy Indicator. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(5), 1066–1074. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.59.5.1066
Amirkhan, J. H. (1994). Seeking person-related predictors of coping: Exploratory analyses. European Journal of Personality, 8(1), 13–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2410080103
Ananova, I. V. (2016). Personal and procedural features of experience of feeling guilt [PhD (Psychol.), Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv]. eKNUTSHIR [in Ukrainian]. https://ir.library.knu.ua/handle/123456789/669
Arshava, I. F., Kutovyi, K. P., & Arshava, I. O. (2020). Implicit assessment of emotional resilience of a person according to benefits when choosing a type of strategies for stress coping. Dnipro Scientific Journal of Public Administration, Psychology, Law, 1, 32–37 [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.51547/ ppp.dp.ua/2020.1.5
Bond, M. (2004). Empirical studies of defense style: Relationships with psychopathology and change. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 12(5), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220490886167
Carney, M. A., Armeli, S., Tennen, H., Affleck, G., & O'Neil, T. P. (2000). Positive and negative daily events, perceived stress, and alcohol use: A diary study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(5), 788–798. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.68.5.788
Carver, C. S, & Connor-Smith. J. (2010). Personality and coping. Annual Review Psycholjgy; 61, 679–704. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych. 093008.100352
Chaplak, Y., Andreeva, Y., & Chuyko, H. (2020). Mental defense and coping strategies as components of the system of an individual's socio-psychological adaptation. Psychological Journal, 6(8), 36–56 [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.31108/1.2020.6.8.3
Compas, B. E., Connor-Smith, J. K., Saltzman, H., Thomsen, A. H., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2001). Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: Problems, progress, and potential in theory and research. Psychological Bulletin, 127(1), 87–127. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.127.1.87
Connor-Smith, J. K., & Flachsbart, C. (2007). Relations between personality and coping: A meta-analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(6), 1080–1107. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.93.6.1080
Cramer, P. (2000). Defense Mechanisms in Psychology Today: Further Processes for Adaptation. American Psychologist, 55(6), 637–646. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.6.637
Cramer, P. (2015). Understanding Defense Mechanisms. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 43(4), 523–552. https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2015.43.4.523
Endler, N. S., & Parker, J. D. A. (1999). Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). (2nd ed.). Multi-Health Systems.
Eysenck, H. J. (2013). Structure of Human Personality. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203753439
Eysenck, H. J., & Wilson, G. (1991). Know Your Own Personality. Penguin Books.
Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1988). Ways of Coping Questionnaire Sampler Set: Manual, Test Booklet, Scoring Key. Consulting Psychologists Press.
Folkman, S., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2004). Coping: pitfalls and promise. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 745–774. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/ annurev.psych.55.090902.141456
Frydenberg, E. (Ed.) (1999). Understanding coping: towards a comprehensive theoretical framework. In Learning to Cope: Developing as a Person in Complex Societies. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/ 10.1093/med:psych/9780198503187.003.0001
Hay, I., & Ashman, A. F. (2003). The development of adolescents' emotional stability and general self-concept: The interplay of parents, peers, and gender. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 50(1), 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912032000053359
Hentschel, U., Draguns, J. G., Ehlers, W., & Smith, G. (2004). Defense mechanisms: Current approaches to research and measurement. In U. Hentschel, G. Smith, J. G. Draguns, & W. Ehlers (Eds.), Defense mechanisms: Theoretical, research and clinical perspectives (pp. 3–41). Elsevier Science Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4115(04)80026-8
Karamushka, L. M., & Snigur, Yu. S. (2024). The psychology of educational organization heads' choice of coping strategies. G. S. Kostiuk Institute of Psychology of National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine [in Ukrainian]. https://inpsy.academia.edu/Liudmyla Karamushka
Krohne, H. W., Egloff, B., Varner, L. J., Burns, L. R., Weidner, G., & Ellis, H. C. (2000). The assessment of dispositional vigilance and cognitive avoidance: Factorial structure, psychometric properties, and validity of the Mainz Coping Inventory. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24(3), 297–311. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005511320194
Malkhazov, O. R. (2022). Development of emotional resilience in individuals experiencing the consequences of traumatic events. Imex-LTD [in Ukrainian]. https://ispp.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/mono-malkhazov-2022.pdf
Nicolas, M., Drapeau, M., & Martinent, G. (2017). A reciprocal effects model of the temporal ordering of coping and defenses. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 33(2), 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2690
Nykonenko, I. A. (2017). Features of personality factors of formation of copingstrategies of surgeons [PhD (Psycholog.), Institute of social and political psychology of NAPS of Ukraine] [in Ukrainian]. https://ispp.org.ua/wp-content/ uploads/2020/05/disNikonenko 2017.pdf
Ovsyannikova, Y. (2009). Theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of the concepts of emotional and psychological stress resistance. Disaster and crisis psychology problems, 6, 85–94 [in Ukrainian]. https://nuczu.edu.ua/sciencearchive/ProblemsOfExtremeAndCrisisPsychology/vol6/011.pdf
Parker, J. D. A., & Wood, L. M. (2008). Personality and the coping process. In G. J. Boyle, G. Matthews & D. H. Saklofske (Eds.) The SAGE handbook of personality theory and assessment (Vol. 1. Personality theories and models, pp. 506–519). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/ 10.4135/9781849200462.n24
Plutchik, R., Kellerman, H., & Conte, H. R. (1979). A Structural Theory of Ego Defenses and Emotions. In C. E. Izard (Ed.) Emotions in Personality and Psychopathology (pp. 227–257). Plenum.
Reznikova, O. A. (2015). Psychological protection in the structure of adaptive behavior of a personality. Visnyk of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series Psychology, 1150(57), 40–44 [in Ukrainian]. http://nbuv.gov.ua/ UJRN/ VKhIPC_2015_1150_57_10
Rodina, N. V. (2013). Psychology of coping behavior: system modeling [Doctoral Dissertation (Psychology), Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv]. Academic Texts of Ukraine [in Ukrainian]. https://uacademic.info/ua/ document/0513U000241
Sannikova, О. P. (2014а). The continuum – hierarchical model of emotionality. Science and education, 1, 44–50 [in Ukrainian]. http://nbuv.gov.ua/ UJRN/NiO_2014_1_10
Sannikova, О. P. (2014b). Personality's propensity to psychological overcoming subjectively difficult situations. Science and education, 9, 42–48 [in Ukrainian]. http://dspace.pdpu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/6599/1/ Sannikova.pdf
Stallman, H. M. (2020). Health Theory of Coping. Australian Psychologist, 55(4), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12465
Stepanenko, L V. (2020). Emotional equilibrium as a resource of psychologists' coping-protective mechanisms during the quarantine. Habitus, 12(2), 33–37 [in Ukrainian]. http://habitus.od.ua/journals/2020/12_2020/ part_2/7.pdf
Stepanenko, L V. (2021). Peculiarities of the interrelation of emotional properties and coping-protective mechanisms of the personality of immigrants. Scientific Bulletin of Kherson State University. Series "Psychological Sciences", 1, 47–53 [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.32999/ ksu2312-3206/2021-1-6
Tretiakova, Yu., & Vakulenko, O. (2020). The features of defensive-coping behaviour characteristic for people with different levels of psychological well-being. Psychological Journal, 6(8), 119–128 [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/ 10.31108/1.2020.6.8.10
Vaillant, G. (2011). Involuntary coping mechanisms: A psychodynamic perspective. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 13(3), 366–370. https://doi.org/ 10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.2/gvaillant
Watson, D., & Hubbard, B. (1996). Adaptational style and dispositional structure: Coping in the context of the Five-Factor Model. Journal of Personality, 64(4), 737–774. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1996.tb00943.x
Wiggins, J. S., & Trapnell, P. D. (1997). Personality structure: The return of the big five. In R. Hogan, J. A. Johnson, & S. R. Briggs (Eds.) Handbook of personality psychology (pp. 737–765). Academic Press. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/B978-012134645-4/50029-9
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Psychology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
