Stress Management: Social Readjustment Rating Scale

Self Rating or Self Assessment on Social Readjustment Rating Scale

(Also read all the previous posts on this page for more benefits).

Introduction

Every change in your environment or in your life, even if it is a pleasant one like taking a vacation etc, creates some stresses. You need to cope up with such stressors. The cumulative effect of these changes in your life may make you vulnerable and then you may become susceptible to falling sick etc. So, it's good to know as to how much have you suffered due to these changes in the previous one year's period and if you have gone through many critical changes, you must take proactive actions to keep yourself fit and fine despite them.

Given below is a self assessment exercise that you could undertake to your advantage.

Directions for the Self assessment Exercise

Read the following list of life events and enter the score for each event that occurred in your life in the past year. The score for each event is given by the side of the description of the event in red colored figures. If any even has occurred more than once, multiply the point value of the score by the number of times it occurred. When you finish, total your score.

Serial No,  Description of the Life Event, Score for the Event

1. Death of spouse 100
2. Divorce 73
3. Marital separation 65
4. Detention in jail or other institution 63
5. Death of a close family member 63
6. Major personal injury or illness 53
7. Marriage 50
8. Fired at work 47
9. Marital reconciliation 45
10. Retirement 45
11. Major change in the health or behavior of a family member 44
12. Pregnancy 40
13. Sexual difficulties 39
14. Gaining a new family member (through birth, adoption, relative moving in etc 39
15. Major business readjustment (merger, reorganization, bankruptcy etc) 39
16. Major changes in financial status (a lot worse off or a lot better of than usual) 38
17. Death of a close friend or family member (other than close members) 37
18. Change to a different line of work 36
19. Major change in the number of arguments with spouse (either a lot more or a lot less than usual regarding child-rearing, personal habits) 35
20. Taking out a mortgage or loan for a major purchase (home, business) 31
21. Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan 30
22. Major change in responsibilities at work (promotion, demotion, lateral transfer) 29
23. Son or daughter leaving home (marriage, attending college) 29
24. Trouble with in-laws 29
25. Outstanding personal achievement 28
26. Spouse beginning or ceasing work outside the home 26
27. Beginning or ceasing formal schooling 26
28. Major change in living conditions (building a new home, remodeling, deterioration of home or neighborhood etc) 25
29. Revision of personal habits (dress, manners, associations etc) 24
30. Trouble with your boss 23
31. Major change in working hours or conditions 20
32. Change in residence 20
33. Change in schools 20
34. Major change in usual type and/or amount of recreation 19
35. Major change in religious (temple, church etc) activities (a lot more or a lot less than usual) 19
36. Major change in social activities (clubs, dancing, movies, visiting etc) 18
37. Taking out a mortgage or loan for a lesser purchase (car, TV, DVD player etc) 17
38. Major change in sleeping habits (a lot more or a lot less sleep or change in part of day when asleep) 16
39. Major change in number of family get-togethers (a lot more or a lot less than usual etc) 15
40. Major change in eating habits (a lot more or a lot less food intake or very different meal hours or surroundings) 15
41. Vacation 13
42. Holiday season (Christmas, Diwali etc) 12
43. Minor violation of laws (traffic tickets, jaywalking, disturbing the peace) 11

(Sources: T H Holmes , Holmes & Rahe, Ruch & Holmes)

Interpretation of Your Total Score

Now you have completed the exercise of your self assessment by adding the individual scores of each life event you met with. So you have with you your total score called the life change units.This score indicates the severity of life crisis.

Life crisis scores are interpreted as given below:

1. Mild: score from 150 to 199 life change units.
2. Moderate: from 200 to 299 life change units.
3. Major: over 300 life change units.

Life crisis increases as the life the life change units score increases. As the life change units score increases, your susceptibility to illness also increases progressively. So you should look after your health in case you have met with many critical life changes during the year and your life change nits are on the higher side of the scale.