The nurse on the mental health unit recognizes the use of which defense mechanism when a client leaves a stressful family meeting and immediately begins to verbally abuse a roommate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Displacement, one of many ego defense mechanisms, occurs when a person shifts uncomfortable feelings or impulses about one situation or person to a substitute situation or person deemed acceptable to receive these uncomfortable feelings or impulses. (Option A) Compensation involves experiencing a perceived deficit in one area and making up for it by overachieving in another. An example is someone not doing well academically who focuses on doing well in sports. (Option C) Projection involves feeling uncomfortable with an impulse or feeling and easing the anxiety by assigning it to another person. An example is a husband with thoughts of infidelity who then accuses his wife of being unfaithful. (Option D) Reaction formation involves transforming an unacceptable feeling or impulse into its opposite. An example is a client with cancer who fears dying but behaves in an overly optimistic and fearless manner about his treatment and prognosis. Educational objective: Displacement is an ego defense mechanism that involves transferring uncomfortable feelings, emotions, or impulses about one person or situation to a substitute person or situation.

The Nurse on the Mental Health Unit Recognizes the Use