The Role of Religious Orientation in Use of Psychological Defense Mechanisms in Medical Students

Background and Defense mechanisms are solutions that people choose to reduce stress. It seems that religion can affect individuals’ functioning and reactions. Thus, we investigated the role of religious orientation in the use of defense mechanisms in medical students of Gonabad University of Medical Sciences.
In this analytic cross-sectional study, 213 students from different grades and subjects in Gonabad University of Medical Sciences in 2014 were selected using the multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected using Allport's Religious Orientation Questionnaire and defense mechanisms. To analyze the data, Spearman correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and ANOVA were run in SPSS, version 19.
Results showed a significant positive correlation between external religious orientation and defense mechanisms (r=0.43, P According to our results, religious orientation can affect certain types of defense mechanisms and improve mental health of students. Thus, authorities should address the need for familiarization of students with appropriate psychological mechanisms and emphasize the role of religion in their plannings.