What defense mechanism is exhibited when a client becomes angry toward the nurse after a phone call with their mother?

Displacement is a defense mechanism in which an individual redirects emotions or feelings from their original source to a safer or more acceptable target. In this scenario, the client is likely feeling anger or frustration towards their mother after the phone call but may not express or direct those feelings towards her for various reasons, such as fear of conflict or a desire to maintain the relationship. Instead, they project that anger onto the nurse, who is a more approachable or less threatening figure.

This mechanism serves to manage the intense emotions that the client is experiencing without addressing the actual source of their feelings. By expressing anger towards the nurse, the client is able to release some of the pent-up emotions while avoiding direct confrontation with the individual who truly triggered those feelings. Understanding this behavior is essential in psychiatric nursing, as it provides insight into the client's emotional state and can guide interventions to help them appropriately express their feelings.