Stress Questionnaire: Take a stress test today

This stress questionnaire is based on the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS).

The Holmes and Rahe stress test was developed in 1967 and is probably one of the most used stress tests.

This stress test contains 30 of the original stress test questions plus 44 more specific events.

Developed in 1997, this stress quiz is more up-to-date than the famous SRRS.

In this stress questionnaire all events are assigned a Life Changing Unit (LCU) based on their degree of disruption to one's life and the following re-adjustment.

Life change event	LCU
Health
An injury or illness which:
kept you in bed a week or more, or sent you to the hospital	74
was less serious than above	44
Major dental work	26
Major change in eating habits	27
Major change in sleeping habits	26
Major change in your usual type and/or amount of recreation	28
Work
Change to a new type of work	51
Change in your work hours or conditions	35
Change in your responsibilities at work:
more responsibilities	29
fewer responsibilities	21
promotion	31
demotion	42
transfer	32
Troubles at work:
with your boss	29
with coworkers	35
with persons under your supervision	35
other work troubles	28
Major business adjustment	60
Retirement	52
Loss of job:
laid off from work	68
fired from work	79
Correspondence course to help you in your work	18
Home and family
Major change in living conditions	42
Change in residence:
move within the same town or city	25
move outside the same town or city	47
Change in family get-togethers	25
Major change in health or behavior of family member	55
Marriage	50
Pregnancy	67
Miscarriage or abortion	65
Gain of a new family member:
birth of a child	66
adoption of a child	65
a relative moving in with you	59
Spouse beginning or ending work	46
Child leaving home:
to attend college	41
due to marriage	41
for other reasons	45
Change in arguments with spouse	50
In-law problems	38
Change in the marital status of your parents:
divorce	59
remarriage	50
Separation from spouse:
due to work	53
due to marital problems	76
Divorce	96
Birth of grandchild	43
Death of spouse	119
Death of other family member:
child	123
brother or sister	102
parent	100
Personal and social
Change in personal habits	26
Beginning or ending school or college	38
Change of school or college	35
Change in political beliefs	24
Change in religious beliefs	29
Change in social activities	27
Vacation	24
New, close, personal relationship	37
Engagement to marry	45
Girlfriend or boyfriend problems	39
"Falling out" of a close personal relationship	47
An accident	48
Minor violation of the law	20
Being held in jail	75
Death of a close friend	70
Major decision regarding your immediate future	51
Major personal achievement	36
Financial
Major change in finances:
increased income	38
decreased income	60
investment and/or credit difficulties	56
Loss or damage of personal property	43
Moderate purchase	20
Major purchase	37
Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan	58
Source: M.A Miller and R. H. Rahe. Life Changes in the 1990's, Journal of Psychosomatic Research 43:279, 1997

Six month totals equal to or greater than 300 LCU, or 1 year totals equal to or greater than 500 LCU are considered indicative of high recent life stress.

It is important to note that when you take this stress questionnaire high LCU scores are not indicative of someone who is stressed as what causes stress for one person may be different for another.

But if you notice that, as your take the stress test, there some common areas of stress then it may be worth looking at some of the biggest causes of stress that include:

money problems and financial stress

overwhelming family responsibilities and relationships stress. I talk more about family stress management tips

health problems that lead to an increasing cycle of stress. How does stress affect your overall health and what you can do about it is discussed here

caregiver stress. There over 50 million caregivers in the US in any given year. Being a caregiver is a tough job. Caregiver stress affects the quality of care and leads to caregiver burnout.