Objectives : The purpose of present study was to explore the differences of ego defense mechanisms between South Koreans, North Korean defectors in South Korea and Korean-Chinese in South Korea, and the correlations between ego defense mechanisms and perceptions of socio-cultural characteristics of these three groups.
Methods : The Defense Style Questionnaire and the Socio-Cultural Characteristic Questionnaire were administered to 100 South Koreans, 93 North Korean defectors and 86 Korean-Chinese. 21 North Korean defectors and 10 Korean-Chinese in South Korea were interviewed regarding the questionnaire results of the study.
Results : North Korean defectors used more active defense styles and emotion repressive defense styles than South Koreans. Korean-Chinese used more passive defense styles than North Korean defectors and South Koreans. North Korean defectors scored significantly higher than South Koreans on `denial´, `splitting´, `withdrawal´, ´suppression´, `altruism´, ´task orientation´ and `anticipation´ in the Defense Style Questionnaire. The defense styles were significantly related to the socio-cultural characteristics of the three countries.
Conclusion : From our results it was inferred that there are differences in the defense styles among three groups, and the socio-cultural characteristics have effects on defense mechanisms. On the gasis of the results of this study, the direction of future study was discussed. (J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 2004;43 (3) :345-353)
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