Holmes Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale

This allows you to determine the total amount of stress you are experiencing by adding up the relative stress values, known as Life Change Units (LCU), for various events.  A score of 250 or more is considered high.  Persons with a low stress tolerance may find themselves overstressed with a score of 150.  The test is used to determine disease susceptibility.  With a score of 150 or less, you have a 37% chance of becoming seriously ill.  Between 150 to 300 and it jumps to 51%.  Over 300 and there's an 80% chance of serious illness in the next 2 years.

Adapted from the "Social Readjustment Rating Scale" by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. This scale was first published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 1967, vol. II p. 214.

Adult Stress

	Event	Value
	Death of spouse	100
	Divorce	60
	Menopause	60
	Separation from living partner	60
	Jail term or probation	60
	Death of close family member other than spouse	60
	Serious personal injury or illness	45
	Marriage or establishing life partnership	45
	Fired at work	45
	Marital or relationship reconciliation	40
	Retirement	40
	Change in health of immediate family member	40
	Work more than 40 hours per week	35
	Pregnancy or causing pregnancy	35
	Sex difficulties	35
	Gain of new family member	35
	Business or work role change	35
	Change in financial state	35
	Death of a close friend (not a family member)	30
	Change in number of arguments with spouse or life partner	30
	Mortgage or loan for a major purpose	25
	Foreclosure of mortgage or loan	25
	Sleep less than 8 hours per night	25
	Change in responsibilities at work	25
	Trouble with in-laws,or with children	25
	Outstanding personal achievement	25
	Spouse begins or stops work	20
	Begin or end school	20
	Change in living conditions (visitors in the home, change in roommates, remodeling house)	20
	Change in personal habits (diet, exercise, smoking, etc.)	20
	Chronic allergies	20
	Trouble with boss	20
	Change in work hours or conditions	15
	Moving to new residence	15
	Presently in pre-menstrual period	15
	Change in schools	15
	Change in religious activities	15
	Change in social activities (more or less than before)	15
	Minor financial loan	10
	Change in frequency of family get-togethers	10
	Vacation	10
	Presently in winter holiday season	10
	Minor violation of the law	5

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Stress Scale for Youth

	Event	Value
	Death of spouse, parent, boyfriend/girlfriend	100
	Divorce (of yourself or your parents)	65
	Puberty	65
	Pregnancy (or causing pregnancy)	65
	Marital separation or breakup with boyfriend/girlfriend	60
	Jail term or probation	60
	Death of other family member (other than spouse, parent or boyfriend/girlfriend)	60
	Broken engagement	55
	Engagement	50
	Serious personal injury or illness	45
	Marriage	45
	Entering college or beginning next level of school (starting junior high or high school)	45
	Change in independence or responsibility	45
	Any drug and/or alcoholic use	45
	Fired at work or expelled from school	45
	Change in alcohol or drug use	45
	Reconciliation with mate, family or boyfriend/girlfriend (getting back together)	40
	Trouble at school	40
	Serious health problem of a family member	40
	Working while attending school	35
	Working more than 40 hours per week	35
	Changing course of study	35
	Change in frequency of dating	35
	Sexual adjustment problems (confusion of sexual identify)	35
	Gain of new family member (new baby born or parent remarries)	35
	Change in work responsibilities	35
	Change in financial state	30
	Death of a close friend (not a family member)	30
	Change to a different kind of work	30
	Change in number or arguments with mate, family or friends	30
	Sleep less than 8 hours per night	25
	Trouble with in-laws or boyfriend's or girlfriend's family	25
	Outstanding personal achievement (awards, grades, etc.)	25
	Mate or parents start or stop working	20
	Begin or end school	20
	Change in living conditions (visitors in the home, remodeling house, change in roommates)	20
	Change in personal habits (start or stop a habit like smoking or dieting)	20
	Chronic allergies	20
	Trouble with the boss	20
	Change in work hours	15
	Change in residence	15
	Change to a new school (other than graduation)	10
	Presently in pre-menstrual period	15
	Change in religious activity	15
	Going in debt (you or your family)	10
	Change in frequency of family gatherings	10
	Vacation	10
	Presently in winter holiday season	10
	Minor violation of the law	5