Holmes and Rahe stress scale

In 1967, psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe examined the medical records of over 5,000 medical patients as a way to determine whether stressful life events might cause illnesses. Patients were asked to tally a list of 43 life events based on a relative score. A positive 0.1 correlation was found between their life events and their illnesses. Thus, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) or the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale was born. However, this study can be perceived as unreliable since it asks participants to look back at their life events, making the data retrospective.

Scale for Adults
To measure stress according to the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, the number of "Life Change Units" that apply to events in the past year of an individual's life are added and the final score will give a rough estimate of how stress affects health.

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.

Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk).

Score 150-: Only have a slight risk of illness.

Scale for minors
A modified scale has also been developed for non-adults. Similar to the adult scale, stress points for life events in the past year are added and compared to the rough estimate of how stress affects health.

TOTAL SCORE= 714

If you have kids, you've got stress in your life. And if your child has special needs, you likely have more than your share. Although stress can be protective, as in the 'fight or flight' response when threatened with immediate harm, or a positive response which spurs us to action, too much stress over a long period of time can have very negative effects on our emotions and on our health.

Although you might not be able to control the stressful events in your life, you do have control over your response to them and the effect that they have on your life. The negative effects of stress can be reduced by such things as getting enough rest, exercise, good nutrition, and taking some time for yourself.

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.

Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate. (reduced by || 30% from the above risk)

Score 150-: Slight risk of illness.

Supporting Research
A study by Rahe (1970) was carried out to test the reliability of the stress scale as a predictor of illness. The scale was given to 2,500 US sailors and they were asked to rate scores of 'life events' over the previous six months. Over the next six months, detailed records were kept of the sailors' health. There was a +0.118 correlation between stress scale scores and illness. This seemingly small correlation is significant and supports the hypothesis of a link between life events and illness.