Final answer:
Deflection is the psychological defense mechanism that leads to distraction and avoids maintaining sustained contact by diverting attention.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that makes it difficult to maintain sustained contact due to distraction is known as deflection. This is a psychological defense mechanism where an individual avoids direct engagement with the thoughts, feelings, or questions of others.
Instead of dealing with the substance of the issue at hand, they might subtly change the subject, joke to avoid seriousness, or respond in ways that divert attention away from what is being addressed. This is seen as a way to protect oneself from uncomfortable feelings or thoughts.