| Abstract: | This investigation examined whether high levels of defensiveness were associated with lower levels of reporting symptoms of ill health. Participants completed questionnaires measuring defensiveness, trait anxiety (neuroticism), and health. Analyses revealed that overall high defensiveness was significantly associated with lower levels of symptom reporting, and that among individuals high in neuroticism (a trait normally associated with high levels of symptom reporting), those individuals also high in defensiveness reported significantly lower levels of symptoms. The results suggest that defensiveness may act as a buffer against the perception and reporting of the symptoms of illness. |
