Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated whether early psychological trauma can contribute to the development of dysfunctional personality traits and emotional dysregulation. Personality disorders (PDs) are often characterized by using immature defense mechanisms and maladaptive...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Fabrizio Turiaco Fiammetta Iannuzzo Clara Lombardo Valentina Clementi Carmela Mento Antonio Drago Antonio Bruno Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello Gianluca Pandolfo |
| author_facet | Fabrizio Turiaco Fiammetta Iannuzzo Clara Lombardo Valentina Clementi Carmela Mento Antonio Drago Antonio Bruno Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello Gianluca Pandolfo |
| author_sort | Fabrizio Turiaco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated whether early psychological trauma can contribute to the development of dysfunctional personality traits and emotional dysregulation. Personality disorders (PDs) are often characterized by using immature defense mechanisms and maladaptive coping strategies. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We evaluated the relationship between early traumatic experiences, PDs, defense mechanisms, and coping strategies. A total of 90 patients aged between 18 and 70 with PDs were studied to detect different subtypes of early trauma, along with the defensive mechanisms and the prevailing coping strategies. Correlation and regression analyses aimed at establishing if specific trauma subtypes were associated with specific defense mechanisms and coping strategies. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire—Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Defense Style Questionnaire 40 (DSQ-40), and the Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced (COPE) were used as psychodiagnostic tools. <i>Results</i>: Our findings determine emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect as the most represented subtypes of trauma and underline the use of immature defense mechanisms in PD patients, while adaptive coping strategies, such as social support and positive aptitude were used. <i>Conclusions</i>: Early trauma, such as abuse and neglect, can be associated with dysfunctional defense mechanisms and coping strategies. This may have significant implications for managing not only pathological areas of the patient but also the functional ones. Moreover, being aware of these aspects can be useful for psychotherapy, reinforcing therapeutic alliance and reducing symptoms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c5faba639a034e7dbb642525e704d492 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj-art-c5faba639a034e7dbb642525e704d4922025-08-20T03:08:09ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442025-06-01617116210.3390/medicina61071162Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality DisordersFabrizio Turiaco0Fiammetta Iannuzzo1Clara Lombardo2Valentina Clementi3Carmela Mento4Antonio Drago5Antonio Bruno6Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello7Gianluca Pandolfo8Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of “Scienze della Salute”, University of Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale, 89125 Reggio Calabria, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyUnit for Psychiatric Research, Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, 9100 Aalborg, DenmarkDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy<i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated whether early psychological trauma can contribute to the development of dysfunctional personality traits and emotional dysregulation. Personality disorders (PDs) are often characterized by using immature defense mechanisms and maladaptive coping strategies. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We evaluated the relationship between early traumatic experiences, PDs, defense mechanisms, and coping strategies. A total of 90 patients aged between 18 and 70 with PDs were studied to detect different subtypes of early trauma, along with the defensive mechanisms and the prevailing coping strategies. Correlation and regression analyses aimed at establishing if specific trauma subtypes were associated with specific defense mechanisms and coping strategies. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire—Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Defense Style Questionnaire 40 (DSQ-40), and the Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced (COPE) were used as psychodiagnostic tools. <i>Results</i>: Our findings determine emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect as the most represented subtypes of trauma and underline the use of immature defense mechanisms in PD patients, while adaptive coping strategies, such as social support and positive aptitude were used. <i>Conclusions</i>: Early trauma, such as abuse and neglect, can be associated with dysfunctional defense mechanisms and coping strategies. This may have significant implications for managing not only pathological areas of the patient but also the functional ones. Moreover, being aware of these aspects can be useful for psychotherapy, reinforcing therapeutic alliance and reducing symptoms.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1162personality disorderscoping strategiesdefense mechanismsearly traumamental health |
| spellingShingle | Fabrizio Turiaco Fiammetta Iannuzzo Clara Lombardo Valentina Clementi Carmela Mento Antonio Drago Antonio Bruno Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello Gianluca Pandolfo Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders Medicina personality disorders coping strategies defense mechanisms early trauma mental health |
| title | Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders |
| title_full | Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders |
| title_fullStr | Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders |
| title_short | Role of Early Trauma on Defense Mechanisms and Coping Strategies in Personality Disorders |
| title_sort | role of early trauma on defense mechanisms and coping strategies in personality disorders |
| topic | personality disorders coping strategies defense mechanisms early trauma mental health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1162 |
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