IDENTIFICATION OF A DOMINANT DEFENSE MECHANISM FOR CHILDREN:

Although fear is an integral part of normal human functioning,it is important to obtain knowledge of children's normative fear and defense mechanism in order for parents and caregivers to understand and contribute towards mediating potentially stressful experiences of children in their care. This combined qualitative and quantitative study aimed to identify a dominant defense mechanism for children in their middle childhood in dealing with fear. In order to reach the aim of this study a conceptual framework was done exploring terms central to this project including development in middle childhood, fear, coping mechanisms and mechanisms of defense. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with eleven children in their middle childhood, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, exploring their expressed fear and the defense mechanism used. The data collected during these interviews were then analyzed and several findings were identified and explored by conducting a literature control. The implications of the study's findings are discussed, as well as the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research is part of the concluding chapter of this research report.