Copyright 1999 by Dr. Ken Pfeiffer

How do each of the following statements apply to you now? For each item, please fill in the blank with a number from the scale below. Fill in all the blanks, even if you have to guess.







never (or strongly disagree)

seldom (or disagree)

sometimes (or neutral)

frequently (or agree)

always (or strongly agree)

1. There is a lot of tension in my life.


2. I am a healthy person.


3. I smoke cigarettes.


4. I exercise regularly.


5. I feel overwhelmed by life.


6. It is easy for me to let go of worrisome thoughts and troublesome emotions.


7. I feel threatened by life.


8. I set high standards for myself.


9. I have to defend myself.


10. I feel good about who I am.


11. I worry about things over which I have no control.


12. I have supportive friends or family.


13. I feel helpless.


14. I find meaning and purpose in life.


15. I feel controlled by deadlines and time pressure.


16. I would rather confront problems than ignore them.


17. Being afraid is a sign of weakness.


    If your score is        It is

        60 or over              Very High

        55-59                     High

        50-54                     Moderately High

        45-49                     Moderately Low

        40-44                     Low

        below 40               Very Low

Your score represents your tendency to somaticize, or express stress in your body with headache, backache, neck ache, TMJ, muscle tension, etc. These body symptoms are a result of the defensive reflex. The defensive reflex can intensify existing pain, or it can be the sole cause of pain in some cases. The products available on this website can help you eliminate pain, and they can also help you reduce stress and the defensive reflex.