The Role of Defense Styles and Defense Mechanisms in the Prediction of Borderline Personality Features in Non-clinical Samples

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to investigate the role of defense styles and defense mechanisms in the prediction of borderline personality features in non-clinical samples. Methods: The study uses a descriptive-correlative design. For this purpose, 378 students were selected through random cluster sampling from Arak University (181 males and 197 females). They were asked to answer the Questionnaire of Style Defense and Borderline Personality Scale. Then, the correlation and regression analyses were employed. Results: The results indicated that the features of borderline personality were significantly and positively correlated with neurotic and immature defenses, and there was no significant relationship between features of borderline personality and mature defenses. Regression analysis showed that immature defenses could predict borderline personality features. The results also revealed that five defenses (acting out, autistic fantasy, splitting, passive aggression and displacement) could predict borderline personality features. Conclusion: Based on the present study results, it can be concluded that immature defenses predicted higher levels of features of borderline personality.