Personality defense mechanisms as a function of cognitive tasks: Implications for the learning process of adolescents

The main interest in this study centered on the role that adaptive mechanisms of high school male students play in a learning activity and the degree to which cognitive problem solving elicits either adaptive or maladaptive reactions. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) high school students with high antisocial behavior will more likely use maladaptive defense mechanisms (denial and projection) than students with low antisocial behavior, especially in the face of frustration; and (2) high school students with low antisocial behavior will more likely engage in more adaptive defenses (more sublimation) than high antisocial students. This relationship was predicted to be stronger in the aftermath of frustration.;According to a two-way Analysis of Variance, the obtained main effects and the interaction effect were not significant (p > .05). Methodological improvements were suggested for future research to establish whether defense mechanisms are related to cognitive frustration.