Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory




As we have discussed previously, stress can adversely affect your health.  This has been proven by a study conducted in 1967 by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe.  In their study, over 5,000 patients were asked to indicate how many of 43 life events they had experienced in the previous year.  By comparing their responses to their medical history, Holmes and Rahe were able to determine that these life events were linked to health.

What about you?  Take the following life stress inventory to find out how stress may impact your health.

Read each of the events listed below, and check the box next to any event which has occurred in your life in the last 12 months. There are no right or wrong answers. The aim is just to identify which of these events you have experienced lately. When you’ve gone through the entire list, the total should be automatically calculated by clicking on the “Calculate Results” button. You may also click “Reset” to take the inventory again at any time.

LIFE STRESS INVENTORY

Life Events

Change Units
Death of 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 a 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 $100,000 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 in 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
Mortgage or loan less than $30,000 17
Change in sleeping habits 16
Change in number of family get-togethers 15
Change in eating habits 15
Vacation 13
Christmas alone 12
Minor violations of the law 11
     
Your score is:

Adapted from Holmes-Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, (1967). Vol. 11, pp. 213-218.

Next Section:

Managing Stress

Now that you have a good grasp as to how your stress occurs, you are in a position to develop a course of action to manage your stress.

Previous Step:

ABC Analysis

Take an inventory of the environmental events, your beliefs, and the consequences of these on your life.

Other Steps in this Section:

Determining Your Stress Level

Take time to determine how much stress is in your life and what effects it has on you.