Work

A study on the impact of ego defense mechanisms on free association and corresponding intervention strategies

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In psychoanalytic therapy, ego defense mechanisms often obstruct free association, thereby impeding the emergence of unconscious material. Grounded in Freudian theory and contemporary empirical research, this paper defines defense mechanisms as adaptive unconscious strategies and free association as an expressive technique facilitating access to the unconscious. Through a case study of an anxious patient, the analysis demonstrates how denial, projection, and regression lead to interruptions and fragmentation in associative processes. Intervention strategies—including awareness-naming, transference interpretation, and adaptive invitation—are shown to promote the transformation of defenses toward sublimation, thereby restoring depth to associative exploration.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17587084

Author: Yang, Shengyu

Institution: Zhejiang Shuren University

Language: English

Topic: Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7105567564

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