A 12-year-old boy has been wetting his bed since he experienced a traumatic event three months ago. Which of the following defense mechanisms Is the patient most likely displaying?
Rationale: The child’s bedwetting after a traumatic event suggests a return to earlier behaviors, indicative of regression, which is a common response to stress. However, repression is the most relevant defense mechanism here, as it involves unconsciously blocking out distressing memories or emotions related to the trauma, leading to the manifestation of anxiety through bedwetting.
Compensation (A) involves covering up deficiencies in one area by excelling in another, which does not apply here. Denial (B) is refusing to accept reality, but the boy is exhibiting a behavioral change rather than outright denial. Displacement (C) involves redirecting emotions to a safer target, which isn’t evident in this scenario. Repression (E) best captures the unconscious nature of his emotional response to trauma.
