Defense Mechanism of Professors and Residents: Comparison between Medicine and Surgery Groups

Jung, Han Yong; Hong, Hye Kyung; Kim, Yang Rye; Lee, So Young; Jung, Hee Yeon; Han, Sun Ho

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the difference of defense mechanisms between medicine and surgery groups, and between residents and specialists who were professors of a medical school. The author evaluated the defense mechanisms by using Ewha Defense Mechanisms Test. The author compared the defense mechanisms of medicine and surgery specialist groups who are employed by Soonchunhyang university hospital as professors in 2000, and of medicine and surgery resident groups in 1999. First, there were significant differences in mean scores of the defense mechanisms ratings. In surgery specialist group, the rate of using projection and show-off were significantly higher than those of medicine group. In resident group, show-off, passive-aggression, dissociation, somatization, acting-out and regression were significantly higher than those of specialist group. In medicine group, residents were higher than specialists in show-off, passive-aggression, acting-out and regression. But for the specialist group, the score on anticipation was higher than in the resident group. In surgery group, residents were higher than specialists in identification, rationalization and regression. In the interaction, analysis by hierarchy and field anticipation and altruism have a significant interaction effect. Second, in comparison of maturity level between the field of speciality and level of hierarchies, surgery group used more neurotic and narcissistic defense than medicine group significantly. For the level of hierarchies, residents used more immature and neurotic defense than specialists. In medicine group, residents used immature defense more than specialists, but more mature defenses were used in specialists than residents significantly. In surgery group, residents used more immature and neurotic defenses than specialists. Mature defenses have more interaction effect. This results may reflect the fact that discipline in surgery have characteristic apprentices system and more dramatical therapeutic approach. The results seem to be useful in understanding the optimal character for each speciality. In the process of selecting spescialities evaluating one's defenses and matching with the characteristics and coping mechanisms of each specialty group can be helpful.