Observers of health behavior have acknowledged that self-perceptions often play a significant role in guiding and directing health-related actions. For example, Health Belief Model Researchers characterized a “sick-role” identity several decades ago. Efforts to characterize this role led to qualitative studies and practitioner observations supporting the possibility of active resistance to health promotion. These ideas are closely related to the sociological processes underlying the development of social identities. In this context, social identities serve to organize beliefs and mediate internal motivation, external reinforcers, and perceptions. Resistance to healthy behaviors can also be a “social behavior” for some individuals--particularly for those who have repeatedly failed to initiate new patterns of behavior. Previous efforts to explore the relationship between these social identities and specific health behaviors have been moderately successful. We explore the possibility of a social identity characterized by active resistance to health promotion activities. Previous research has hypothesized the existence of this identity, in this study we attempt to refine a measurement instrument for this construct. Data were collected (during the first week of classes) from a convenient sample of 575 students enrolled in two elective health-studies courses, emergency aid and personal health. Ninety-four per cent of the survey participants self-identified as Caucasian and 69% were female. Average age was 20.5 years with a range of 18 to 47 years. An initial item pool of 32 items was generated using previous research on wellness rejection and social identities. Items were scored on a 7-option likert format scale. The following item characteristics were then examined: frequency distribution and variability, internal consistency, and contribution to construct integrity. Items were considered for elimination if scale score were highly skewed or kurtotic, detracted from overall alpha reliability, or had a factor loading of less than .50 in a single factor structure. Fifteen items remained providing an overall scale reliability of .90. Factor loadings exceeded .49 for all factors in the final solution. These data are consistent with previous research suggesting that wellness rejection identity is characterized by active resistance to health promotion activities. The findings provide initial support for the reliability of the Wellness Rejection Scale as a measure of wellness rejection. Further analysis of this instrument may justify use of this scale in identifying more resistant or “hard-to-reach” clients in health promotion activities. Keyword(s): health promotion, measurement/evaluation, wellness/disease prevention