Table 2.

Comparison of the borderline personality level, defense styles, and all defense mechanisms according to suicide attempt.

Variables	Total Median (min–max) (n = 80)	Suicide attempter Median (min–max) (n = 23)	Non-suicide attempter Median (min–max) (n = 57)	U	p
Borderline personality inventory	21 (4–39)	25 (7–39)	19 (4–33)	−2.872	0.004
Defense style questionnaire
Mature defense style	38 (10–64)	41 (10–59)	37 (15–64)	−0.542	0.588
1. Sublimation	7.5 (2–18)	7 (2–18)	8 (2–18)	−0.421	0.674
2. Humor	9.5 (2–18)	10 (2–16)	9 (2–18)	−0.261	0.794
3. Suppression	7.5 (2–18)	8 (3–18)	7 (2–18)	−1.212	0.225
4. Anticipation	11 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	11 (2–18)	−0.021	0.983
Neurotic defense style	38 (21–59)	36 (13–54)	39 (21–59)	−0.857	0.392
1. Undoing	9 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	8 (2–18)	−1.498	0.831
2. Idealization	8 (2–18)	7 (2–16)	9 (2–18)	−0.839	0.582
3. Pseudo altruism	11.5 (3–18)	10 (3–18)	12 (4–18)	−0.929	0.169
4. Reaction formation	10 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	10 (2–17)	−0.688	0.264
Immature defense style	100 (38–145)	109 (57–145)	97 (38–144)	−2.808	0.016
1. Rationalization	10 (2–16)	10 (4–15)	10 (2–16)	−1.264	0.640
2. Projection	11 (2–18)	14 (6–18)	11 (2–18)	−3.182	0.008
3. Denial	6 (2–18)	7 (2–13)	6 (2–18)	−0.182	0.814
4. Devaluation	7 (1–16)	7 (2–16)	6 (1–16)	−0.738	0.777
5. Acting out	10 (2–18)	11 (2–18)	9 (2–18)	−1.849	0.045
6. Somatization	10 (2–18)	9 (2–17)	10 (2–18)	−0.990	0.400
7. Autistic fantasy	10 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	9 (2–18)	−1.614	0.154
8. Splitting	9 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	9 (2–18)	−2.639	0.026
9. Passive aggression	8 (2–18)	10 (2–18)	8 (2–18)	−1.637	0.303
10. Displacement	9 (2–18)	9 (2–18)	9 (2–15)	−1.176	0.308
11. Isolation	8 (2–18)	9 (2–18)	7 (2–18)	−0.909	0.118
12. Dissociation	4 (2–15)	5 (2–15)	4 (2–14)	−0.479	0.425

U, Mann–Whitney U-test, Values of p < 0.05 were accepted as significant and marked in bold.