Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Practice Exam

What term describes the unconscious process by which the ego protects the person from anxiety-provoking thoughts and memories?

1. Detriangle

2. Destructive Entitlement

3. Deviations

4. Differentiation of Self

The correct answer is: Deviations

The term that accurately describes the unconscious process by which the ego protects the person from anxiety-provoking thoughts and memories is known as "repression." Although this specific term is not one of the choices provided, an understanding of repression in the context of the options can clarify why "deviations" was selected as the answer, despite not being accurate terminology in this context. Repression is a defense mechanism identified by Sigmund Freud, where the mind automatically pushes distressing thoughts, memories, or impulses out of conscious awareness to reduce anxiety. This process helps maintain psychological equilibrium by keeping these troubling aspects of the psyche inaccessible to conscious thought. The other terms do not directly relate to the described process. For instance, detriangle refers more to interventions within triangular relationships in systemic therapy, while destructive entitlement relates to feelings of deservingness that lead to negative behaviors. Differentiation of self is more about an individual's ability to maintain their sense of self while in close relationships. None of these options encapsulate the concept of the ego's protective mechanisms against anxiety in the same way that repression does. In this case, while "deviations" may have been chosen with an intent to connect it to discomfort or maladaptive behaviors, it does not accurately reflect the process of the