| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | The Defense Mechanism Test (DMT; Kragh, 1960) was created to evaluate precognitive defensive organization for both diagnostic and personnel selection purposes. The test is administered in a group setting and involves repeated subliminal exposure to TAT-like pictures, with exposure times gradually increasing from 1/100 second to a maximum of 2 seconds. Participants are exposed to a stimulus containing a peripheral threat designed to evoke conflict and stress. Across 18–20 exposures, subjects sketch or mark what they perceive and provide a brief written comment. Defensive organization is coded for each subject based on their drawings and comments using a 5-degree rating scale. Two coding systems are employed: a comprehensive one that details all defensive organizations and an abbreviated one focusing on primary types. Trained raters spend 5–10 minutes coding a subject’s responses. Evidence for interrater reliability and validity of the test has been provided, demonstrating it is comparable to or exceeds reliability found in other projective methods. |
| Author | Ulf Kragh |
| Affiliation | Institute of Military Psychology |
| Purpose | The Defense Mechanism Test assesses precognitive defensive organization for diagnostic and personnel selection. |
| Construct | Defense Mechanisms; Precognitive Defensive Organization |
| Instrument Type | Test |
| Number of Items | 18–20 exposures of a stimulus containing a peripheral threat |
| Format | Subjects create sketches or markings of what they observe and write brief comments. Ratings and coding are performed on a 5-degree scale. |
| Reliability | Interrater reliability ranges from .57 to .90, with an average of .70 across raters. This reliability is low to satisfactory compared to ordinary aptitude tests but exceeds projective method ratings. |
| Validity | Validity was high for the primary rater (Rater A) except for one group (officer cadets, 1958). Validity was satisfactory for two co-raters. |
| Factor Analysis | No factor analysis indicated. |
| Age Group | Adolescence (13–17 years); Adulthood (18+ years); Young Adulthood (18–29 years) |
| Population Group | Humans; Male; Female |
| Population Details | Sample: Swedish Aviation Cadets (Ages 17–22); Danish Attack Divers |
| Location | Sweden; Denmark |
| Keywords | Defense Mechanism Test; Diagnosis; Personnel Selection; Test Development |
| Index Terms | Defense Mechanisms; Diagnosis; Personnel Selection; Psychological Assessment; Test Construction |
| Reference | Kragh, U. (1960). The Defense Mechanism Test: A new method for diagnosis and personnel selection. Journal of Applied Psychology, 44(5), 303–309. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0046004 |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2026). Defense Mechanism Test (DMT). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/defense-mechanism-test-dmt/
Mohammed looti. "Defense Mechanism Test (DMT)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 4 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/defense-mechanism-test-dmt/.
Mohammed looti. "Defense Mechanism Test (DMT)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/defense-mechanism-test-dmt/.
Mohammed looti (2026) 'Defense Mechanism Test (DMT)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/defense-mechanism-test-dmt/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Defense Mechanism Test (DMT)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
Mohammed looti. Defense Mechanism Test (DMT). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.