A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of cancer. The client states, "I can't think about my health until after my son is married next week." The nurse should identify the client's statement as an indication of which of the following maladaptive defense mechanisms?

A. Suppression: Suppression is a conscious, intentional exclusion of distressing thoughts or feelings from awareness. The client is choosing to postpone thinking about their cancer diagnosis until after their son’s wedding, which reflects adaptive use of suppression to temporarily manage anxiety. B. Projection: Projection involves attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings onto another person. The client is not blaming or transferring feelings onto someone else, so projection is not demonstrated in this statement. C. Splitting: Splitting is the inability to integrate positive and negative qualities of self or others, often seen in borderline personality disorder. The client’s statement does not reflect this distortion or black-and-white thinking. D. Reaction formation: Reaction formation occurs when an individual behaves in a way opposite to their unacceptable feelings or impulses. The client is not exhibiting opposite behavior to hide true feelings; they are consciously postponing attention to stressors, which aligns with suppression.