Stress Assessment Test
Based on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
What is the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)?
The PSS-10, or Perceived Stress Scale, is a classic, scientifically validated, 10-item self-report questionnaire. It was developed by Sheldon Cohen and colleagues in 1983 to measure the degree to which situations in your life are appraised as stressful.
Unlike assessments that just list stressful life events, the PSS-10 focuses on your subjective feelings and thoughts about how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded you feel your life has been over the last month.
How does the PSS-10 Stress Test work?
The test asks you to rate how often you have felt a certain way in the last month using a 5-point scale, typically ranging from “Never” (0) to “Very Often” (4).
The questions are designed to capture two main themes related to stress:
- Perceived Helplessness/Distress: Questions about feeling upset, unable to control important things, or finding difficulties piling up.
- Lack of Self-Efficacy/Coping: Questions about feeling confident, on top of things, or that things were going your way.
How is the PSS-10 score calculated?
To get your total score (which ranges from 0 to 40):
- The scoring for four of the questions (the ones that are positively worded, like “How often have you felt that things were going your way?”) is reversed. This means a “Very Often” answer scores 0, and a “Never” answer scores 4.
- The scores from all ten items are then summed together.
Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived stress.
How do I interpret my PSS-10 score?
While the test developers have not published official clinical cut-off scores, common interpretations used in research and non-clinical settings often categorize scores as follows (based on a community sample):
| PSS-10 Score Range (0-40) | Stress Level Interpretation |
| 0 – 13 | Low Stress |
| 14 – 26 | Moderate Stress |
| 27 – 40 | High Stress |
A score near the average (often around 12-15 in a general population) suggests an average level of perceived stress compared to others.
Can the PSS-10 diagnose a mental health condition?
No. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a screening and assessment tool, not a diagnostic instrument.
A high score is a strong indicator that you are experiencing significant stress, which is often associated with other mental and physical health issues like anxiety or depression. It is intended to help you and a healthcare professional measure and monitor your stress levels over time, but it should not be used as a substitute for a professional diagnosis.
How is high perceived stress linked to my health?
Research consistently links high PSS scores to a variety of negative health outcomes. High levels of psychological stress have been associated with:
- Higher risk for illness.
- Elevated markers of biological aging (e.g., higher cortisol levels).
- Suppressed immune function.
- Poorer health practices (e.g., skipping meals, less sleep, increased alcohol consumption).
Tracking your score can be a powerful motivator for making lifestyle changes to reduce your chronic stress.
How often should I take the Perceived Stress Scale?
Since the PSS-10 asks about your feelings over the last month, it is typically most useful when administered monthly or every four weeks. This frequency allows you to track changes in your stress levels over time, especially when evaluating the effectiveness of a new stress-management strategy or coping mechanism.