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We study the nilpotent part $N'$ of a pseudo-periodic automorphism $h$ of a real oriented surface with boundary $\Sigma$. We associate a quadratic form $Q$ defined on the first homology group (relative to the boundary) of the surface $\Sigma$. Using the twist formula and techniques from mapping class group theory, we prove that the form $\tilde{Q}$ obtained after killing ${\ker N}$ is positive definite if all the screw numbers associated with certain orbits of annuli are positive. We also prove that the restriction of $\tilde Q$ to the absolute homology group of $\Sigma$ is even whenever the quotient of the Nielsen-Thurston graph under the action of the automorphism is a tree. The case of monodromy automorphisms of Milnor fibers $\Sigma=F$ of germs of curves on normal surface singularities is discussed in detail, and the aforementioned results are specialized to such situation. Moreover, the form $\tilde{Q}$ is computable in terms of the dual resolution or semistable reduction graph, as illustrated with several examples. Numerical invariants associated with $\tilde{Q}$ are able to distinguish plane curve singularities with different topological types but same spectral pairs. Finally, we discuss a generic linear germ defined on a superisolated surface. In this case the plumbing graph is not a tree and the restriction of $\tilde Q$ to the absolute monodromy of $\Sigma=F$ is not even., Comment: General re-organization of the paper. Some corrections on examples and correction of a secondary result of the paper