The onset, development, basic patterns and empirical norms of DSQ-40 psychological test

Abstract

Psychological defence mechanisms represent relatively stable aspect of personality, while character and frequency of defence mechanisms which a person uses, points to the character structure of personality. Measuring psychological defence mechanisms is very difficult and very unreliable, so that only several instruments have been developed for the estimation of such characteristics. The most notable instrument of this kind in the world is DSQ-40 (Defense Style Questionnaire), which has lately been more often used in our country. As DSQ-40 is still not widely known in our environment, the aim of this study was to represent the onset and the development of this test, its basic characteristics and empirical norms acquired on our population. Examination included two examined groups in military population of male sex only: soldiers of adolescent age (n=400) and officers of the adult age (n=165). Statistical analysis and the comparison of the results with corresponding standards obtained in foreign researches showed that defence style and structure of psychological defence mechanisms were connected with socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of examinees. It was concluded that norms of the test DSQ-40 must be adjusted to the concrete population, which hasn't diminished its practical values and employment in diagnostic and selection purposes.

Keywords

• defense mechanisms
• psychological tests
• personality tests
• military personnel
• questionnaires
• psychometrics