Among the Ego-owned resources to garantee the adaptive stability, stand out the defense mechanisms. This theoretical concept instilled the present research which tried to determine the relations between a measure of adaptive configuration of subjects who sought for psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the maturity levels of the defense mechanisms used. For this, two scales developed from clinical experience, were employed: Escala Diagnóstica Adaptativa Operacionalizada - EDAO and Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales - DMRS.Out of 36 subjectspreviously assessed by means ofthe EDAO, 20 presenting stable adaptation were selected. 10 ofthem were moderately adapted and 10 severely adapted. On considering the defenses in terms ofthe maturity levei it was observed that both groups differentiated due to the employment of the defenses in relation to those extreme maturity levels. The intermediate levels did not prove to be discriminating. Significant correlations were observed between the global scores ofboth scales.
adaptation; defense mechanisms; levels of Ego's maturity; external validity