Defensive functioning and psychopathology: a study with the REM-71

Compr Psychiatry. 2014 Oct;55(7):1696-702. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.06.008. Epub 2014 Jun 27.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to explore the association between defensive functioning (as assessed through the REM-71) and psychiatric symptoms in a large sample from the community, and the moderating role of age and gender on that association. Furthermore, we explored the concurrent validity of REM-71 as compared with "caseness" (SCL-90-R).

Methods: The REM-71 was administered together with SCL-90-R to a community sample of 1,060 Italian high-school and university students (mean age=19.01±3.85 years; 66.7% females).

Results: Factor 1 defenses were by far the primary contributors to the predictor synthetic variable (i.e. association between defenses and psychopathology). Gender proved to moderate the association between immature defenses and symptoms. Using ROC analysis, we derived a cut-off score for Factor 1 defenses.

Conclusions: Our results support the adoption of the REM-71 as a useful instrument for the assessment of defensive array and psychopathological liability in adolescents and adults.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Defense Mechanisms*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales*
  • ROC Curve
  • Sex Factors
  • Symptom Assessment
  • Young Adult