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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to find out differences of defense mechanisms and psychological characteristics between personality B and C clusters by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria. Methods: One hundred and eighty patients with axis II personality disorder [cluster B (n=121), C (n=59)] were enrolled in this study. All subjects completed psychological test with Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Personality Disorder Questionnaire (PDQ), and the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ). Results: Somatization and hostility subscale scores of SCL-90-R were significantly increased in cluster B. Depression and social introversion of MMPI were significantly increased in cluster C, while psychopathic deviate and hypomania were significantly increased in cluster B. Paranoid, antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, negativistic personality disorder of PDQ were significantly increased in cluster B. Image-distorting-defense styles of DSQ were significantly increased in cluster B. In addition, neurotic denial, non-delusional projection, acting out, and affiliation were significantly increased in cluster B, while omnipotence was significantly increased in cluster C. Conclusion: It seems that hostility can be exposed more easily in cluster B. So, that causes interpersonal problems more commonly. On the other hand, it seems that hostility can be introjected in cluster C. So, that causes more tendency of depression or social introversion. In addition, patients with cluster B personality disorders have more primitive defense mechanisms, while patients with cluster C personality disorders commonly use omnipotent fantasy without expression of their conflicts. The characteristics in the patients with cluster B personality disorders are more compatible with the theory of borderline personality organization than those in the patients with cluster C personality disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]