People who scored higher on a measure of self-defeating personality also scored low on ego-strength, showed an external locus of control, and used less adaptive coping strategies than those who scored lower. These strategies (denial, mental disengagement, alcohol and drug use) were viewed as helping to perpetuate their positions as victims.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BarronF. (1953) An ego strength scale which predicts response to psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 17, 327–333.
2.
CarverC. S.ScheierM. F.WeintraubJ. K. (1989) Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 267–283.
3.
FolkmanS.LazarusR. S. (1980) An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21, 219–239.
4.
RotterJ. B. (1966) Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609).
5.
SchillT. (1990) A measure of self-defeating personality. Psychological Reports, 66, 1343–1346.
6.
SchillT. (1991) Self-defeating personality and problems with dating, assertion, and relationships. Psychological Reports, 68, 128–130.
