Defense Relationship of Religious Orientation and Attachment Styles with Mechanisms

The present study aims at investigating the relationship of religious orientation and attachment styles with defense mechanisms among seminary students in level two in Qom seminary. 174 subjects were selected through sampling. To do the research, three questionnaires were used: Allport and Ross religious orientation scale (21 items), Hazan and Shaver’s attachment style questionnaire (15 items), and defense mechanism scale by Andrews et al (40 items). The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression as well as SPSS software. The obtained results showed a meaningful positive relation between religious orientation and defense mechanisms. Besides, they showed a meaningful positive relation between attachment styles and defense mechanisms. Investigation of independent variables of the study (religious orientation and attachment styles) also showed a meaningful positive relation between them. The data analysis showed a meaningful positive relation between external religious orientation and non-grown defense mechanisms. It showed that there is also a meaningful positive relation between avoidance attachment style and non-grown defense mechanisms. It also showed a meaningful relation between ambivalent attachment style and non-grown mechanisms on the one-hand and neurotic defense mechanism on the other hand. Besides, it showed that there is a meaningful positive relation between safe attachment style and external religious orientation as there is a meaningful relation between ambivalent attachment style and external religious orientation.