Rating the Magnitude of Life Stress

Three hundred and seventy-three subjects were rated on a scale of 0–20 — the degree to which each of 61 life events was regarded as upsetting — to suggest the scale based on upsetting was more valid for depression.

Abstract

Three hundred and seventy-three subjects were rated on a scale of 0–20 — the degree to which each of 61 life events was regarded as upsetting. Mean scores for the events ranked in a significant way from catastrophic events such as death of child or spouse at the top end of the scale to trivial or desirable events at the bottom. There was substantial agreement between different sociodemographic groups and acceptable overall individual variation. In a pilot study of validity, scores were examined for two classes of events — exits and entrances from the social field. A previous controlled study had indicated an excess of exits but not entrances preceding clinical depression. In keeping with this difference, scale scores for exits were found to be high and for entrances low with only minimal overlap. A small study using an alternative scaling concept of adjustment to life change suggested that the scale based on upsetting was more valid for depression.