Do you need a me-ality check?

Everyone has to big themselves up sometimes - be it at a job interview, on a first date, or going to a party on your own. But while having a good dose of self-confidence is healthy, having too much could see you suffering from a personality syndrome psychologists call "self-enhancement".

According to experts, having an overly positive image of yourself can be just as damaging as suffering from low self-esteem.

"Distorting the truth about yourself can be harmful," warns psychologist Cliff Arnall of Thefeelconsultancy.com.

"The happiest people are those with an accurate self-assessment of themselves," he adds. "You need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses so the latter can be corrected."

Find out if you're overwhelmed with confidence or struggling with too little self-love by taking our revealing quiz...

THE QUIZ

Section A

1. What song always gets you on the dance floor?

• Don't Cha by Pussycat Dolls (A)

• Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (B)

• I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor (C)

2. Your dream date would be...

• ...sitting next to a sexy friend-of-a-friend at a wedding (B)

• ...with a millionaire, flying to Paris in his private jet (A)

• ...getting tipsy with your old flatmate and him finally seeing you as more than a friend (C)

3. What's your party outfit?

• A black jumper-dress that covers a multitude of sins (C)

• A show-stopping red sequinned number (A)

• A vintage print dress that always gets compliments (B)

4. What's on your bedside table?

• Duncan Bannatyne's Wake Up And Change Your Life (A)

• Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl (B)

• JK Rowling's Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (C)

5. Who's your favourite TV character of all time?

• Susan in Desperate Housewives (B)

• Samantha from Sex And The City (A)

• Ally McBeal (C)

Section B

Tick the following statements that apply to you:

• I'm always late (A)

• If someone criticises me, I have to criticise them back (A)

• I'm always on time (B)

• I'm happy for my boyfriend to go out with his friends (B)

• Sexy underwear makes me self-conscious in the bedroom (C)

• I'm really worried about getting swine flu (C)

THE RESULTS:

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY As YOU'RE: A self-enhancer
You reckon you're only one step away from having the looks of Cheryl Cole, the business sense of Sir Alan Sugar and the lifestyle of the

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Beckhams. In short, you think you rock.The good news: You constantly challenge yourself, are positive to be around, and you're not scared to take risks.The bad news: "Overestimating your willpower, your abilities and your qualities ultimately makes you demotivated and disillusioned because you haven't lived up to your own unrealistically high expectations," says psychologist Cliff Arnall. "Also, you may let others down because you stretch yourself in too many directions." What to do: Use other people to gain some perspective. "Self-enhancers often avoid asking others' opinions as a way to avoid negative feedback that might alter their positive views," explains Cliff. Break this habit by asking a trusted friend or colleague for a second opinion: Is this dress flattering? Will this project take one week or two? This will help you to gain a more realistic outlook on things, plus it will lessen the risk of disappointment. Learn to be the real you - not superwoman - and you'll be much happier.

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY Bs YOU'RE: A balanced thinker
Good work! It looks like you're pretty well in tune with yourself and your abilities. Chances are you have plenty of supportive friendships, you rarely get stressed about things, and you have a good work/life balance. Congratulations.The good news: You come across as honest, laid-back and reliable.The bad news: You're not exactly negative, but you do have a realistic outlook that means you can bring optimistic people down. It also causes you to hold yourself back sometimes because you're under no illusions about the consequences of your actions. What to do: "Learn to tell the difference between situations that do require a realistic outlook and those that need less realism and more of a 'can do' attitude instead," suggests psychologist Dr Martin Seligman, author of Learned Optimism (Vintage Books, £14). When it comes to decisions that could have a negative effect on your career, family or home life, you need to take a realistic view. But a job interview or a first date calls for less realism and more self-hype. For example, it's fine knowing you're not the best candidate for a job, but you don't have to come across that way at the interview - you need to talk yourself up. Dr Seligman says: "When you really want to achieve something, are leading people or want to boost your morale, it's time to forget realism and start selling yourself!"

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY Cs YOU'RE: A self-scolder
Big yourself up? More like knock yourself down - constantly. You underestimate your abilities, which prevents you from getting ahead.The good news: You're super-smart with money, a hard worker and a dedicated friend.The bad news: You tend to talk yourself out of making positive changes, like losing weight or asking for a promotion, and while friends would never tell you, they find your constant need for reassurance exhausting. What to do: Change the way you speak to yourself. "Do this by looking at your 'explanatory style' - the way you tell yourself why negative events happen," says Dr Martin Seligman. "So instead of thinking: 'I missed that deadline and let everyone down. I'm useless and will never get promoted', you need to move towards: 'This was the first deadline I've missed, two of my team were sick, next time I'll flag up deadline issues sooner.'" Follow this with a reminder of positive moments in your career, for example, your great appraisal last week. This will stop you giving your self-esteem a beating and help you see yourself for what you truly are - a success!

PHOTOGRAPHY: AMIT LENNON HAIR & MAKE-UP: OONAGH CONNOR AND SHERRIE WARWICK MODEL: CARMEN AT NEVS MODEL WEARS: DRESS, ASOS; NECKLACE, ACCESSORIZE; RING, WALLIS

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