Features of psychological protection mechanisms and coping strategies of juvenile offenders

Abstract

The article examines the psychological aspect of juvenile offending. Along with social conditions, adolescents’ internal psychological characteristics also influence the formation of such behavior. Therefore, studying the defense mechanisms and coping strategies of juvenile offenders is of both scientific and practical importance.

The aim of the study was to identify the features of psychological defense mechanisms and coping strategies among juvenile offenders and to analyze the relationship between them.

The research material was collected using psychodiagnostic methods. These methods were used to assess defense mechanisms and coping strategies. Group comparisons and data processing were carried out with comparative-analytical and statistical procedures.

The group comparison revealed statistically significant differences in projection, displacement, compensation, regression, and repression. The emotional coping score was higher in some offender groups, whereas behavioral coping was more pronounced in the control group. Correlation analysis showed that defense mechanisms and coping strategies are interrelated.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the joint analysis of the relationship between defense mechanisms and coping strategies of juvenile offenders on the basis of empirical data. The findings clarify the psychological features of deviant behavior and may be used in psychological support for juveniles and in the prevention of offending.