Denial involves which of the following?

• A. Refusal to acknowledge something that is real.
• B. Channeling energy into work or exercise.
• C. Substituting a goal for an impulse.
• D. Identifying impulses through fantasy.

Answer: (A)

Denial is a defense mechanism where a person refuses to accept a painful or real truth, acting as if it doesn’t exist. This helps reduce immediate anxiety in the moment, but it doesn’t change what’s actually happening. So the description that captures this best is refusing to acknowledge something that is real—like insisting a serious health issue isn’t real despite clear evidence.

And to connect the other ideas: channeling energy into work or exercise is an example of sublimation, redirecting impulses into socially acceptable activity. Substituting a goal for an impulse describes another coping approach, not denial. Identifying impulses through fantasy involves using imagination to cope rather than facing reality, which is a different mechanism.