PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSES AND COPING STRATEGIES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: GENDER DIFFERENCES AND RELATIONSHIP WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

The article represents the research and the analysis of the review of defensive mechanisms and coping strategies in the context of the mental health of preschool children of different gender. The results obtained through the study point to the differentiation of psychological defense and coping strategies/mechanisms based on gender and the condition of mental health. It is revealed that mentally healthy preschool age children prefer to use effective and socially upheld coping strategies, which reduce the pressure through socially upheld behavior patterns (e.g., through the habitual "children's activity" - play, walk, etc.). Mentally healthy girls more often focus on overcoming difficulties within themselves. Boys, who have emotional symptoms, as usual prefer the destructive emotional expression strategy, that allows to ease the tension. Boys with the low level of anxiety are oriented to the passive distraction, while girls focus on social contacts. The received results can be used for development of the programs of psychological prevention of mental health offenses.