COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COPING-PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS IN VARIOUS STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

Abstract

The article presents the problem of the functioning of coping-protective mechanisms of personality in different stressful situations. The views of scientists on the interrelationship between coping strategies of the individual and mechanisms of psychological protection in the process of self-regulation are outlined. The presence of correlations between indicators of coping strategies and mechanisms of psychological defense of psychologists in different stressful situations has been established. It is proved that during military events the interrelationship between the mechanisms of regression and substitution is of the greatest importance for psychologists, which indicates the dominance of defense mechanisms in the coping-protective construct. The coping strategies of confrontation and flight avoidance have received the greatest number of interrelationships with psychological defense mechanisms. The coping strategies and psychological defense mechanisms of psychologists who have carried out their professional activities online under quarantine have been analyzed. Significant interrelationships have been established between the mechanisms of projection and rationalization, between the mechanism of projection and the coping strategy of recognizing responsibility. The coping strategies of decision planning and positive reassessment have received the greatest number of interrelationships with psychological defense mechanisms. It is proved that the copingprotective mechanisms of psychologists are associated with the content of difficult life situations and are determined by the social position and social role. During a military conflict, the mechanisms of denial and compensation reduce tension and allow gaining time to find ways out of a stressful situation. During pandemic events, psychologists update the projection mechanism and the coping strategy of self-control. Obviously, the situation of military conflict for psychologists is the most stress-producing. The more significant the stressful situation, traumatic for the personality himself/herself, the more it attracts unconscious mechanisms of overcoming difficulties. The use of psychological defense mechanisms in the interrelation with a sufficient number of coping strategies creates a single mechanism that allows psychologists to assess stressful situations adequately and take conscious actions to solve the problem.