학술논문
Age and sex differences in strategies of coping and defense across the life span.
Document Type
Journal Article
Source
Subject
*AGE groups
*LONGEVITY
*OLDER people
*PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects of aging
*ADAPTABILITY (Personality)
*BEHAVIOR
*COMPARATIVE studies
*DEFENSE mechanisms (Psychology)
*GENDER identity
*LIFE change events
*LOCUS of control
*RESEARCH methodology
*MEDICAL cooperation
*MYERS-Briggs Type Indicator
*PERSONALITY development
*PSYCHOMETRICS
*RESEARCH
*EVALUATION research
SEX differences (Biology)
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Language
ISSN
0882-7974
Abstract
Age and sex differences in the use of coping and defense strategies were examined in life-span sample of 381 individuals. Participants responded to 2 self-report measures assessing mechanisms of coping and defense and measures assessing their level of cognitive complexity. Older adults used a combination of coping and defense strategies indicative of greater impulse control and the tendency to positively appraise conflict situations. Adolescents and younger adults used strategies that were outwardly aggressive and psychologically undifferentiated, indicating lower levels of impulse control and self-awareness. Women used more internalizing defenses than men and used coping strategies that flexibly integrated intra-and interpersonal aspects of conflict situations. Taken together, findings provide evidence for the age- and sex-specific use of strategies of coping and defense, suggesting that men and women may face different developmental tasks in the process toward maturity in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]