2/1/2016

ResultsPage

BlackDogInstituteTemperamentandPersonality
questionnaire
Results

Printpage

Thefollowinginformationsummarisesyourscoresontenpersonalitydimensionsandincludesabrief
descriptionofhoweachofthesedimensionsinfluencesnonmelancholicdepression,basedon
ourresearchattheBlackDogInstitute.
Eachofthepersonalitydimensionsbelowmayincreaseordecreasethechanceofnonmelancholic
depression.However,itisimportanttorememberthatnonmelancholicdepressionusuallyresultsfrom
aninteractionbetweenstressfuleventsandpersonality,notpersonalityalone,andthatthereareother
factorsinvolved.ThereforeahighscoreonanyofthescalesbelowdoesNOTmeanthatdepressionis
inevitable.Rather,itisusefultoidentifytheroleofpersonalityinanindividual'sepisodeofnon
melancholicdepressionbecausesuchcharacteristics(e.g.worrying,irritability)canbemodified,with
theaidofahealthcareprofessional,inordertoeffectivelytreatthedepression.
Itisimportanttonotethelimitationstoourfeedback.Firstly,itisbasedonselfreportedinformation
andisthereforeinfluencedbyourcapacitytoknowourselves.Secondly,thedimensionsarenot
entirelypreciseandscoresoneachscalearecapableofbeingverymuchinfluencedbyarangeof
otherpersonalitycharacteristicsandcurrentmood.Thus,weemphasisethatwecannotdeclarethat
ourjudgementsarenecessarilyaccurate.

'Anxiousworrying':
Youscored17onthisscale.Highscores(18andover)indicateagreatertendencytobecome
stressed,worriedandanxious.Ifunaddressed,excessiveanxiousworryingcanincreasetheriskof
developingnonmelancholicdepression.

'Perfectionism':
Youscored12onthisscale.Highscores(31andover)areassociatedwithatendencytobevery
responsibleandreliable,havehighstandardsforoneselfandtobehighlycommittedtotaskand
duties.Whileperfectionismcanbeaconstructivecharacteristic,whenextremelyhighitcanactually
limitone'sfunctioning.Highscorersonthisdimensionaresomewhatlesslikelytogetdepressedthan
thegeneralpopulation.However,certaineventscantriggeraseveredepression.Thesestressful
eventstendtoinvolvelossofcontrolinanimportantarea,orthefeelingthatone'spridehasbeen
hurt.

'Personalreserve':
Youscored23onthisscale.Highscores(17andover)areassociatedwithatendencytokeepone's
innerfeelingstooneself.Peoplehighon'personalreserve'tendtobereluctanttoletfriendsand
acquaintancesgettoknowthemtoowell.Scoringhighon'personalreserve'canincreasetheriskof
developingnonmelancholicdepression,particularlyfollowingeventsthatchallengeconcernsabout
closeness.

'Irritability':
Youscored6onthisscale.Highscores(21andover)areassociatedwithatendencytobequick
temperedandto'externalise'stressbybecoming'snappy'andirritatedbylittlethings.Scoringhighon
thisdimensionindicatesanincreasedrisktobriefepisodesofnonmelancholicdepression.

'Socialavoidance':
Youscored24onthisscale.Highscores(17andover)onthisdimensionareassociatedwitha
tendencytobeintrovertedandtokeeptooneself,whilethoselowonthisdimensiontendtobevery
sociable.Highscoresindicateamoderatelyincreasedrisktononmelancholicdepression.

'Selffocused':
Youscored10onthisscale.Highscores(9andover)areassociatedwithatendencytoprioritiseone's
ownneedsovertheneedsofothers.Peoplehighonthe'selffocused'dimensioncanbemorelikelyto
developdepressionwhentheirneedsarenotmet.However,thesedepressiveepisodestendtobe
relativelybrief,oftenbecausetheindividualexternalisestheirfrustration.

'Selfcriticism':
Youscored11onthisscale.Highscores(10andover)areassociatedwithatendencytobequite
toughononeself.Anongoingstyleofselfblameandselfcriticismcanincreasetheriskofdeveloping
nonmelancholicdepression.However,itisimportanttonotethatmostpeoplebecomemoreself
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/surveys/Temperament/PQResults.cfm

1/2

2/1/2016

ResultsPage

criticalwhentheyaredepressed.Thus,ifyouarecurrentlydepressed,ahighscoreonthisscaledoes
notnecessarilyindicateanongoingstyleofselfcriticism.

'Interpersonalsensitivity':
Youscored8onthisscale.Highscores(14andover)areassociatedwithatendencytoworryabout
rejectionorabandonment.Feelingrejectedinanimportantrelationshipisacommontriggerfornon
melancholicdepressionamongstpeoplewithhighinterpersonalsensitivity.

'Cooperativeness':
Youscored18onthisscale.Highscores(20andover)onthisscaleareassociatedwithatendencyto
begenerallyhelpful,compassionate,empathicandgetalongwellwithothers.

'Effectiveness':
Youscored14onthisscale.Highscores(18andover)onthisscaleindicateanabilitytocopewellwith
differentsituationsandtobeconfidentinproblemsolving.Peoplewhoareparticularlylowonthe
'effectiveness'dimensionmayhaveanincreasedriskofdevelopingnonmelancholicdepressionifthey
encounterastressfulsituationwhichisbeyondtheircopingskills.
Wehopethisfeedbackhasbeenusefultoyou.
Furtherinformationaboutthetypesofdepression(e.g.nonmelancholicdepressionandmelancholic
depression)andtherelationshipbetweenpersonalityanddepressivedisorderscanbefoundinthe
latest(2004)editionofProfessorGordonParkersbookDealingwithdepression:Acommonsense
guidetomooddisorders(2004).InformationonthesetopicscanalsobefoundontheBlackDog

Institutewebsite

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/surveys/Temperament/PQResults.cfm

2/2