RESUMEN
Nowadays, social relations have been become more complex and mental diseases have been raised. So, it will be necessary that people become more familiar with methods of opposition and psychological defense mechanisms which is especially important for individuals with special diseases. Purpose of the present research was to study the level and way of using defense mechanisms by diabetic and healthy people. In this case-control study, among 500 diabetic people who visited in Imam Khomeini hospital of Ardebil in years 2006- 2007, 40 diabetic and 40 healthy people were selected by systematic sampling method. Information was gathered by means of a questionnaire prepared by Qamari [1383] according to defense function measure [DSM-IV]. Data were compared between two groups by t-test. There was significant relation between education and job with the way of how using defense mechanisms. While, level of using defense mechanisms between men and women, patients and non-patients, and single and married people was not significant. In general, diabetic and non-diabetic people, especially jobless and low educated subjects need further information about defense mechanisms