Ace the ASWB MSW 2026 – Master Your Social Work Skills and Shine!

Acting out as a defense mechanism involves using actions, rather than expressing and dealing with one's feelings, to cope with emotional conflict. B) Verbal communication involves directly addressing and expressing one's emotions, while C) Avoidance behavior is the opposite of acting out, by avoiding dealing with emotions entirely. D) Rationalization involves justifying one's actions or behavior instead of expressing how one truly feels. Therefore, A) Actions rather than feelings is the most accurate description of acting out as a defense mechanism.