Stress Inventory: The Stress of Adjusting to Change

Determine which life events have occurred in your life over the past two years and add up your total stress score then follow the directions below.

Events Scale of Impact:

Death of a spouse 100
Divorce 73
Marital separation 65
Jail term 63
Death of close family member 63

Personal injury or illness 53
Marriage 50
Fired at work 47
Marital reconciliation 45
Retirement 45

Change in health of family member 44
Pregnancy 40
Sex difficulties 39
Gain of new family member 39
Business readjustment 39

Change in financial state 38
Death of close friend 37
Change to different line of work 36
Change in number of arguments with spouse 35
Mortgage over $200,000 31

Foreclosure of mortgage or loan 30
Change in responsibilities at work 29
Son or daughter leaving home 29
Trouble with in-laws 29
Outstanding personal achievement 28

Wife begins or stops work 26
Begin or end school 26
Change in living conditions 25
Revision of personal habits 24
Trouble with boss 23

Change in work hours or conditions 20
Change in residence 20
Change in schools 20
Change in recreation 19
Change in church activities 19

Change in social activities 18
Large loan 17
Change in sleeping habits 16
Change in number of family gatherings 15
Change in eating habits 15

Vacation 13
Christmas 12
Minor violations of the law 11

If your total score is under 150: you are less likely to be suffering the effects of cumulative stress.

If it is between 150 and 300: you may be suffering from chronic stress, depending on how you perceived and coped with the particular life events that occurred.

If your score is over 300: it is likely you are experiencing some detrimental effects of cumulative stress. Please note that the degree to which any particular event is stressful to you will depend on how you perceive it.

Resource: 1967, by Pergamon Press, Inc.
Inventory courtesy Lynette J. Hoy, NCC, LCPC.

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