High scorers are likely to have specific functionally related somatic complaints. They will use a combination of denial and dissociation. They usually experience low levels of anxiety, tension, and depression and rarely report serious psychopathology such as hallucinations, delusions, and suspiciousness. Their insight about their behavior will be low as they both deny difficulties and have a strong need to see themselves in a favorable light. Persons with moderate scores, especially if educated and from higher socioeconomic groups, may have good levels of adjustment. Scale 3 might also be somewhat elevated in persons wishing to present a favorable impression for employment, thereby reflecting the endorsement of specific items denying any abnormality. With increasing scores, however, there is an exaggeration of denial, somatization, dissociation, immaturity, and low levels of insight. In particular, they may be perceived as highly conforming, immature, naive, childishly self-centered, and impulsive.
They will have strong needs for approval, support, and affection but will attempt to obtain these through indirect and manipulative means. Thus, they are interpersonally indirect, with difficulty expressing hostility and resentment. Often, they will communicate with others to create an impact rather than to convey specific information. They will perceive events globally rather than attend to specific and often relevant details of a situation. Their physical difficulties typically worsen in response to increases in stress levels. The complaints can be either quite vague or quite specific and are of unknown origins. When their level of stress decreases, their physical difficulties will be likely to disappear very quickly. This is particularly true for persons with T scores over 80.