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What is it? -

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale is a psychological tool created by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe in 1967 after they examined the medical records of over 5,000 patients.

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Quantifying stress -

The scale (also known as the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale) was essentially designed to quantify stress in a person’s life based on the assumption that major life events contribute to stress, which can affect physical and mental health.

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Theory of stress -

Holmes and Rahe’s theory says that stress comes from the changes or adjustments that people must make after significant life events. The more changes required by an event, the higher the stress level.

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The rating scale -

The SRRS is made up of a list of 43 stressful life events, ranging from marriage to divorce and even to changes in sleeping habits.

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Life Change Units -

Each life event in the SRRS is assigned a numerical value called Life Change Units (LCUs). These values quantify the stress associated with each event, with higher LCUs corresponding to more stressful events.

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End goal -

The idea of the scale is to add up all the scores for life events that have been experienced over the past year, ending up with a number that could predict a person’s potential for health risk. The higher the number, the higher the risk. So, what are the various life events and their ratings? Let’s take a look.

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Lowest -

The life event with the lowest rating involves minor violations of the law, such as receiving a traffic ticket or a fine for jaywalking. This event gives an LCU of 11 on the scale.

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Vacations and family -

Major holidays are given a score of 12, while vacations are given 13; major changes in eating habits have an LCU of 15, and major changes in the number of family gatherings also have a rating of 15.

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Sleeping and socialization -

Changes in sleeping habits (whether you’re getting more or less sleep) gives an LCU of 16. Every time you’ve taken out a loan in the past year gives a rating of 17, while changes in social activities has a rating of 18, and changes in religious activity gives a score of 19.

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Recreation -

If you’ve changed the number of recreational activities you do, then you’ll add a score of 19. If you’ve moved to a new school or even changed residence, add 20. Major alterations in working hours or conditions have a rating of 20 as well, although experiencing issues with a work superior is worth an LCU of 23.

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Starting or stopping -

Changing personal habits (like quitting smoking) has a rating of 24, while changes in living conditions (like remodeling) has an added score of 25. Additionally, stopping or starting schooling has an LCU of 26. And if your spouse starts a new job or loses an old one, this adds a score of 26 as well.

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Family and work -

If you’ve achieved something personal in the last year, then a score of 28 should be added. Troubles with your in-laws comes with a rating of 29, and so does your son or daughter leaving home. Any major changes in responsibility at work (such as a promotion or demotion) also has a rating of 29.

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Mortgages -

Foreclosure on a mortgage or a loan has an LCU of 30, although taking on a mortgage is 31. If you argue more or less with your partner, then this adds 35 points, while switching over to a different line of work has an LCU of 36.

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Finances -

The death of a close friend is equal to a rating of 37, a major change in your financial state is 38, and major business readjustments are valued at 39. If you’ve gained a new family member (a birth or someone moved in), then this is also worth 39 points.

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Sexual behavior -

Any sexual difficulties being experienced has an LCU of 39, and a pregnancy gives a rating of 40. When a family member experiences major changes in health or behavior, this has a score of 44 attached.

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Employment and marriage -

Retirement and marital reconciliation both have an LCU of 45, while being fired from a job is equal to 47 points. Getting married is worth a score of 50, and a major personal injury or illness adds 53 to the pile.

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Death in the family -

For every close family member who has passed away in the last year, add 63 points. If you’ve been detained in jail or another institute, you should also add 63 points.

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Separation -

If you separate from (but don’t divorce) your spouse, then the life event is worth 65 points, although actual divorce is worth 73 points.

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Highest -

According to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the life event with the highest amount of impact on a person’s life and their stress is the death of a spouse. This event carries an LCU of 100.

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Low score -

A person’s total score on the SRRS is calculated by adding the LCUs of all the life events they experienced within a year. A total score of 150 or less indicates low stress and a low susceptibility to stress-related health risks.

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Moderate score -

If a person’s score is between the range of 150 and 299, this indicates that they have moderate stress and have a 50% chance of experiencing a major health breakdown in the next two years.

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High score -

Any score of 300 points or more is linked to incredibly high stress. People with this score have an 80% chance of experiencing health complications.

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Health correlation - Individuals with a high LCU score are more susceptible to stress-related illnesses, such as cardiovascular problems, depression, or immune system deficiencies. The scale helps medical professionals predict potential health issues.

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Individual differences -

One criticism of the SRRS is that it doesn’t account for individual differences in stress and instead measures every person equally. Some life events, like divorce, might be highly stressful for one person, but could actually be a relief for another.

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Cumulative stress -

The rating scale highlights how stress in a person’s life can accumulate over time. Multiple life events can add up to create a high overall level of stress, which can be crucially detrimental to a person’s health.

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Occupational stress -

Occupational settings also offer up significant stress, which the SRRS is also able to measure. Organizations and employees have been known to use the scale to assess the potential health impact of work-related stress.

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Eustress vs distress -

Another criticism of the scale is that it doesn’t offer much difference between eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative stress). Both types of stressors contribute to a person’s total score, even though the emotional and psychological responses to these events may be significantly different.

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Youth and adolescence -

In recent years, the rating scale has been adapted for children and adolescents to identify stressors in early life. These can include events like changing schools, academic pressures, or even peer relationship issues.

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Daily hassles -

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale doesn’t take into account daily hassles that people encounter. Ultimately, losing your keys, enduring traffic jams, or even encountering a pimple on your face in the morning can all be daily stressors added to your life.

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Diagnostic tool -

The SRRS remains a widely used tool to diagnose health concerns as they relate to stress. While it has limitations, it still provides valuable insight into how life events can impact a person’s well-being, offering a foundation to establish therapeutic interventions.

Sources: (Simply Psychology) (National Institutes of Health) (Brandeis University) (Mind Tools) (ScienceDirect)

See also: Everyday things you didn’t realize are harming your mental health

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