Defense mechanisms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in bereaved individuals
A network analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12095151 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Serena Giunta (University of Catania), Alessandro Sardella (0000-0003-0193-6786, University of Catania), Alberto Sardella (University of Catania), Pasquale Caponnetto (0000-0002-9368-5867, University of Catania), Maria C Quattropani (0000-0003-0711-6412, University of Catania), Vittorio Lenzo (0000-0001-8391-5123, University of Catania, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 1-10 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-10 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Death Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0748-1187 • E-ISSN: 1091-7683 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/07481187.2025.2556112 |
| PMID | 40928903 |
| OpenAlex | W4414113016 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
This study explored the network relationships between defense mechanisms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of 327 Italian bereaved adults (M = 46.92, SD = 14.66). The 30-item Defense Mechanism Rating Scales Self-Report (DMRS-SR-30) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were administered. The network revealed a dense structure comprising 39 significant edges. High adaptive defenses emerged as the most central and influential node, showing strong negative associations with depression and anxiety symptoms. Minor image-distorting defenses were negatively associated with depression but positively related to anxiety. Stability analyses indicated acceptable overall reliability. However, some edges showed lower stability and should be interpreted with caution. These findings underscore the pivotal role of high adaptive defenses in emotional regulation following bereavement and suggest differential contributions of defense levels to psychological symptoms. Future research is needed to further investigate these associations
Anxiety · Coping (psychology · Depression (economics · Fight-or-flight response · Grief · Mechanism (biology · Stress (linguistics · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Mental Health Research Topics · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
Exploratory data analysis
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
What do centrality measures measure in psychological networks?
Reporting standards for psychological network analyses in cross-sectional data.
Health outcomes of bereavement
Sparse inverse covariance estimation with the graphical lasso
Validation of the new DSM‐5‐TR criteria for prolonged grief disorder and the PG‐13‐Revised ( PG‐13‐R ) scale
The Italian version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21
Graph drawing by force‐directed placement
Estimating psychological networks and their accuracy
Qgraph
Psychometric Properties of the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales-Self-Report-30 (DMRS-SR-30)
Centrality and network flow
Loss, trauma, and human resilience
Preliminary Reliability and Validity of the DMRS-SR-30, a Novel Self-Report Measure Based on the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales
| Highly cited | No |
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