Measuring stress: self-report scales — Social Readjustment Ratings Scale and Hassles and Uplifts Scale
Psychologists use questionnaires to measure how stressed a person is. Two key tools are the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, which scores major life events, and the Hassles and Uplifts Scale, which tracks everyday minor stressors and positive experiences.
Real World
After the 9/11 attacks, researchers used the SRRS to assess survivors' cumulative life-change scores and found many exceeded the 300 LCU threshold associated with serious illness risk. The Hassles and Uplifts Scale has since been used by occupational psychologists at companies like Google to monitor employee wellbeing in real time.
Exam Focus
For 'evaluate' questions, contrast the SRRS's objectivity with its failure to account for individual perception of events.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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