Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM)

Reference

Boyce, P., & Parker, G. (1989). Development of a scale to measure interpersonal sensitivity. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 23, 341–351. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048678909068291

List of questions

Question number	Question	Original 36-item version	36-item version	6-item version
1	I feel insecure when I say goodbye to people	✓	✓
2	I worry about the effect that I have on other people	✓	✓
3	I avoid saying what I think for fear of being rejected	✓	✓	✓
4	I feel uneasy meeting new people	✓	✓
5	If others knew the real me, they would not like me	✓	✓	✓
6	I feel uneasy meeting new people	✓
7	I don't get angry with people for fear that I may hurt them	✓	✓
8	After a fight with a friend, I feel uncomfortable until I have made peace	✓	✓
9	I am always aware of how other people feel	✓	✓
10	I worry about being criticised for things I have said or done	✓	✓
11	I always notice if someone doesn't respond to me	✓	✓
12	I worry about losing someone close to me	✓	✓
13	I feel that people generally like me	✓	✓
14	I will do something I don't want to do rather than offend or upset someone	✓	✓
15	I can only believe that something I have done is good when someone tells me it is	✓	✓
16	I will go out of my way to please someone I am close to	✓	✓
17	I feel anxious when I say goodbye to people	✓	✓
18	I feel happy when someone compliments me	✓	✓
19	I fear that my feelings will overwhelm people	✓	✓
20	I can make other people feel happy	✓	✓
21	I find it hard to get angry with people	✓	✓
22	I worry about criticising other people	✓	✓
23	If someone is critical of something I do, I feel bad	✓	✓
24	If other people knew what I am really like, they would think less of me	✓	✓	✓
25	I always expect criticism	✓	✓	✓
26	I can never be really sure if someone is pleased with me	✓	✓
27	I don't like people to really know me	✓	✓	✓
28	If someone upsets me, I am not able to put it easily out of my mind	✓	✓
29	I feel others do not understand me	✓	✓
30	I worry about what others think of me	✓	✓
31	I don't feel happy unless people I know admire me	✓	✓
32	I am never rude to anyone	✓	✓
33	I worry about hurting the feelings of other people	✓	✓
34	I feel hurt when someone is angry with me	✓	✓
35	My value as a person depends enormously on what others think of me	✓	✓	✓
36	I care about what other people feel about me	✓	✓
Items which are not included in the original version
37	I feel secure when I'm in a close relationship		✓

Use of this scale in CLOSER Discovery study questionnaires and datasets

Version	Study	Year	Questionnaire	Dataset
36-item version	ALSPAC	1990-1992	Having a Baby	ALSPAC Having a Baby Questionnaire Dataset
36-item version	ALSPAC	1990-1992	Partner's Questionnaire	ALSPAC Partners Questionnaire Dataset
36-item version	ALSPAC	1991-1993	Your Home and Lifestyle	ALSPAC Your Home and Lifestyle Questionnaire Dataset
6-item version	ALSPAC	2010	You and Your Life	ALSPAC You and Your Life Questionnaire Dataset