This project focuses on exploring the evolution of defense mechanism theory and understanding how defense mechanisms change over time. We will examine the structure of defense mechanisms using the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) and compare different ways of categorizing them.
Additionally, we aim to investigate how defense mechanisms are interconnected and how they relate to depression severity. Particularly, we aim to investigate the association between changes in defense mechanisms and changes in depression symptoms during treatment (i.e., short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy compared to non-psychodynamic approaches).
By combining insight from psychoanalytic theories with empirical research, we aim to improve current knowledge of how psychotherapy affects defense mechanisms and depression. This, in turn, can help enhance therapeutic interventions and the well-being of individuals with depression.