Form: Defense Style Questionnaire, DSQ-60

I get satisfaction from helping others and if this were taken away from me I would get depressed.

People often call me a sulker.

I'm able to keep a problem out of my mind until I have time to deal with it.

I work out my anxiety through doing something constructive and creative like painting or woodwork.

I often change my opinion about people; at one time I think highly of them, at another time I think they're worthless.

I am able to find good reasons for everything I do.

I'm able to laugh at myself pretty easily.

People tend to mistreat me.

If someone mugged me and stole my money, I'd rather he be helped than punished.

If I have a conflict with someone, I try to think of what might have been my part in it.

People say I tend to ignore unpleasant facts as if they didn't exist.

I often feel superior to people I'm with.

Someone is robbing me emotionally of all I've got.

When there's real danger, it's as if I'm not there and I feel no fear.

If I'm treated unfairly, I stand up for my rights.

I manage danger as if I were Superman.

I pride myself on my ability to cut people down to size.

I often act impulsively when something is bothering me.

Actually I'm pretty worthless.

When dealing with people they often end up feeling what I feel.

I get more satisfaction from my fantasies than from my real life.

I withdraw when I'm angry.

When I'm in difficulties I often feel unreal.

I've got special talents that allow me to go through life with no problems.

I prefer to talk about abstract things rather than about my feelings.

There are always good reasons when things don't work out for me.

I work more things out in my daydreams than in my real life.

When people get angry with me, I tend to think they are exaggerating.

Sometimes I think I'm an angel and other times I think I'm a devil.

If someone gets angry at me I tend to get annoyed by things I usually ignore.

I get openly aggressive when I feel hurt.

I hardly remember anything from my early school years.

I withdraw when I'm sad.

I always feel that someone I know is like a guardian angel.

I'm actually worse than people think I am.

As far as I'm concerned, people are either good or bad.

If my boss bugged me, I might make a mistake in my work or work more slowly so as to get back at him.

There is someone I know who can do anything and who is absolutely fair and just.

If I've experienced something unpleasant then the next day I've sometimes forgotten what it was about.

Helping others makes me feel good.

I can keep the lid on my feelings if letting them out would interfere with what I'm doing.

I'm usually able to see the funny side of an otherwise painful predicament.

I often find myself being very nice to people who by all rights I should be angry at.

There's no such thing as “finding a little good in everyone” – if you're bad, you're all bad.

When something I do doesn't turn out well, I try to find out what I may have overlooked.

People tend to be dishonest with me.

When I have to face a difficult situation I try to imagine what it will be like and plan ways to cope with it.

Doctors never really understand what is wrong with me.

After I fight for my rights, I tend to apologize for my assertiveness.

If someone is annoying me, then I tell them without hurting their feelings.

I'm often told that I don't show my feelings.

When I feel bad, I try to be with someone.

If I can predict that I'm going to be sad ahead of time, I can cope better.

No matter how much I complain, I never get a satisfactory response.

Instead of saying exactly what I feel, I explain my thoughts extensively.

Often I find that I don't feel anything when the situation would seem to warrant strong emotions.

When I feel depressed or anxious, I like to engage in some creative or physical activity.

If I got into a crisis, I would seek out someone to share my worries with.

If I have an aggressive thought, I feel the need to do something to compensate for it.

When something exciting is happening, I tend to fuss over unimportant details.