Parent-child attachment and defense mechanisms: a developmental perspective on risk-taking behaviour in a clinical sample of adolescents

Attachment theory provides a model of childhood social and emotional development within the family environment. Parental responses to their children’s affective signals provide the critical context within which children organize and regulate their emotional experiences. The current research extends the attachment literature by examining the notion of ego defense mechanisms, defined as unconscious mental processes that are used to protect the self from painful emotions, ideas and drives and may be used to regulate emotions experienced in relationships. The current study examined attachment and defense mechanisms in relation to risk-taking behaviour among adolescents. Participants were 106 adolescents (58 males; 48 females) recruited from the Maples Adolescent Centre, a multidisciplinary assessment facility in Burnaby, B.C. Youth completed the Family Attachment Interview - Modified, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents - Revised. Results revealed significant relations between insecure attachment and risk-taking behaviour including aggression, substance abuse symptoms, and suicide attempts. The current study also highlighted the role of defense mechanisms. Of particular interest was evidence for projection in the prediction of aggression and denial as a potential protective factor with respect to suicide attempts. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to current models of aggression. Implications for clinical interventions and future directions in research are also addressed.