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Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Counseling Psychology
First Advisor
Linda Webster
First Committee Member
Rachelle Hackett
Second Committee Member
Dennis Brennan
Third Committee Member
Nancy Brison-Moll
Abstract
A child's internalized regulatory system and development of defenses is patterned after the parent-child attachment system. Therefore, measuring defenses can provide information about the quality of the internalized attachment relationship. This study examined the correlation of defenses in mother-son pairs. It examined defensive behaviors utilizing the Rorschach Test, as responses to the Rorschach are useful in describing a person's basic defensive functions. The study found that the defenses of regression, repression, avoidance, a personal defense stance and the quality of inner resources were positively correlated between mothers and sons. These correlations were .74, .53, .50, .48, and .44 respectively. This data indicates that, for this sample, a mother and son's defensive behaviors were correlated across several variables. These results suggest the Rorschach may be a useful instrument in studying the sequelae of the attachment relationship. This method may also offer the family therapist insights into what defenses are currently activated in the parent-child relationship.
Pages
67
ISBN
9780496117857 , 0496117858
Recommended Citation
Howard, Scott. (2004). The correlation of defensive responses between mothers and sons: An attachment perspective. University of the Pacific, Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2429
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