ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the theoretical foundation, George Vaillant’s hierarchy of defenses, from which research volunteers’ responses in the study reported are examined. It provides an historic perspective on the construct of defenses. The chapter discusses the five Mature Adaptive Defenses, accompanied by excerpts, in table format, from research participants’ interviews exemplifying use of that type of adaptive mechanism. Vaillant’s category of Mature Adaptive Defenses includes: altruism, sublimation, suppression, humor, and anticipation. Defense mechanisms are automatic, protective methods the psyche, or ego, develops to avoid experiencing anxiety and the intolerable tension produced by competing internal and external demands on it. The hierarchy of adaptive defenses put forth by Vaillant continues to be used as the springboard for defense research and clinical theory. He described four levels of defense functioning: psychotic, immature, neurotic, and high mature. Adaptive defense mechanisms not only indicate the type, developmental level, and intensity of the individual’s response to perceived threat, they are also correlates of emotional resilience.
