Berger Scales of Self-Acceptance and Acceptance of Others

I'd like it if I could find someone who would tell me how to solve my personal problems.

I don't question my worth as a person, even if I think others do.

I can be comfortable with all varieties of people—from the highest to the lowest.

I can become so absorbed in the work I'm doing that it doesn't bother me not to have any intimate friends.

I don't approve of spending time and energy in doing things for other people. I believe in looking to my family and myself more and letting others shift for themselves.

When people say nice things about me, I find it difficult to believe they really mean it. I think maybe they're kidding me or just aren't being sincere.

If there is any criticism or anyone says anything about me, I just can't take it.

I don't say much at social affairs because I'm afraid that people will criticize me or laugh if I say the wrong thing.

I realize that I'm not living very effectively but I just don't believe I've got it in me to use my energies in better ways.

I don't approve of doing favors for people. If you're too agreeable they'll take advantage of you.

I look on most of the feelings and impulses I have toward people as being quite natural and acceptable.

Something inside me just won't let me be satisfied with any job I've done; if it turns out well, I get a very smug feeling that this is beneath me, I shouldn't be satisfied with this, this isn't a fair test.

I feel different from other people. I'd like to have the feeling of security that comes from knowing I'm not too different from others.

I'm afraid for people that I like to find out what I'm really like, for fear they'd be disappointed in me.

I am frequently bothered by feelings of inferiority.

Because of other people, I haven't been able to achieve as much as I should have.

I am quite shy and self-conscious in social situations.

In order to get along and be liked, I tend to be what people expect me to be rather than anything else.

I usually ignore the feelings of others when I'm accomplishing some important end.

I seem to have a real inner strength in handling things. I'm on a pretty solid foundation and it makes me pretty sure of myself.

There's no sense in compromising. When people have values I don't like, I just don't care to have much to do with them.

The person you marry may not be perfect, but I believe in trying to get him (or her) to change along desirable lines.

I see no objection to stepping on other people's toes a little if it'll help get me what I want in life.

I feel self-conscious when I'm with people who have a superior position to mine in business or at school.

I try to get people to do what I want them to do, in one way or another.

I often tell people what they should do when they're having trouble in making a decision.

I enjoy myself most when I'm alone, away from other people.

I think I'm neurotic or something.

I feel neither above nor below the people I meet.

Sometimes people misunderstand me when I try to keep them from making mistakes that could have an important effect on their lives.

Very often I don't try to be friendly with people because I think they won't like me.

There are very few times when I compliment people for their talents or jobs they've done.

I enjoy doing little favors for people even if I don't know them well.

I feel that I'm a person of worth, on an equal plane with others.

I can't avoid feeling guilty about the way I feel toward certain people in my life.

I prefer to be alone rather than have close friendships with any of the people around me.

I'm not afraid of meeting new people. I feel that I'm a worthwhile person and there's no reason why they should dislike me.

I sort of only half-believe in myself.

I seldom worry about other people. I'm really pretty self-centered.

I'm very sensitive. People say things and I have a tendency to think they're criticizing me or insulting me in some way and later when I think of it, they may not have meant anything like that at all.

I think I have certain abilities and other people say so too, but I wonder if I'm not giving them an importance way beyond what they deserve.

I feel confident that I can do something about the problems that may arise in the future.

I believe that people should get credit for their accomplishments, but I very seldom come across work that deserves praise.

When someone asks for advice about some personal problem, I'm most likely to say, 'It's up to you to decide,' rather than tell him what he should do.

I guess I put on a show to impress people. I know I'm not the person I pretend to be.

I feel that for the most part one has to fight his way through life. That means that people who stand in the way will be hurt.

I can't help feeling superior (or inferior) to most of the people I know.

I do not worry or condemn myself if other people pass judgment against me.

I don't hesitate to urge people to live by the same high set of values which I have for myself.

I can be friendly with people who do things which I consider wrong.

I don't feel very normal, but I want to feel normal.

When I'm in a group I usually don't say much for fear of saying the wrong thing.

I have a tendency to sidestep my problems.

If people are weak and inefficient I'm inclined to take advantage of them. I believe you must be strong to achieve your goals.

I'm easily irritated by people who argue with me.

When I'm dealing with younger persons, I expect them to do what I tell them.

I don't see much point to doing things for others unless they can do you some good later on.

Even when people do think well of me, I feel sort of guilty because I know I must be fooling them; that if I were really to be myself, they wouldn't think well of me.

I feel that I'm on the same level as other people and that helps to establish good relations with them.

If someone I know is having difficulty in working things out for himself, I like to tell him what to do.

I feel that people are apt to react differently to me than they would normally react to other people.

I live too much by other peoples' standards.

When I have to address a group, I get self-conscious and have difficulty saying things well.

If I didn't always have such hard luck, I'd accomplish much more than I have.