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Change In Coping And Defense Mechanisms Across Adulthood: Longitudinal Findings In A European-American Sample, Manfred Diehl, Helena Chui, Elizabeth L. Hay, Mark A. Lumley, Daniel Grühn, Gisela Labouvie-Vief

Psychology Faculty Research Publications

This study examined longitudinal changes in coping and defense mechanisms in an age- and gender- stratified sample of 392 European-American adults. Nonlinear age-related changes were found for the coping mechanisms of sublimation and suppression and the defense mechanisms of intellectualization, doubt, displacement, and regression. The change trajectories for sublimation and suppression showed that their use increased from adolescence to late middle age and early old age, and remained mostly stable into late old age. The change trajectory for intellectualization showed that the use of this defense mechanism increased from adolescence to middle age, remained stable until late midlife, and started …