Youth Sermons: Sermons for Youth: Stress Test for Youth

STRESS SCALE FOR YOUTH

PTS: STRESS EVENT
100: 1. Death of spouse, parent, boyfriend/girlfriend
065: 2. Divorce (of yourself or your parents)
065: 3. Puberty
065: 4. Pregnancy (or causing pregnancy)
060: 5. Marital separation or breakup with boyfriend/girlfriend
060: 6. Jail term or probation
060: 7. Death of other family member (other than spouse, parent or boyfriend/girlfriend)
055: 8. Broken engagement
050: 9. Engagement
045: 10. Serious personal injury or illness
045: 11. Marriage
045: 12. Entering college or beginning next level of school
045: 13. Change in independence or responsibility
045: 14. Any drug and/or alcoholic use
045: 15. Fired at work or expelled from school
045: 16. Change in alcohol or drug use
040: 17. Reconciliation with mate, family or boyfriend/girlfriend
040: 18. Trouble at school
040: 19. Serious health problem of a family member
035: 20. Working while attending school
035: 21. Working more than 40 hours per week
035: 22. Changing course of study
035: 23. Change in frequency of dating
035: 24. Sexual adjustment problems (confusion of sexual identity)
035: 25. Gain of new family member (new baby born or parent remarries)
035: 26. Change in work responsibilities
030: 27. Change in financial state
030: 28. Death of a close friend (not a family member)
030: 29. Change to a different kind of work
030: 30. Change in number or arguments with mate, family or friends
025: 31. Sleep less than 8 hours per night
025: 32. Trouble with in-laws or boyfriend's or girlfriend's family
025: 33. Outstanding personal achievement (awards, grades, etc.)
020: 34. Mate or parents start or stop working
020: 35. Begin or end school
020: 36. Change in living conditions (visitors in the home, change in roommates)
020: 37. Change in personal habits (start or stop a habit like smoking or dieting)
020: 38. Chronic allergies
020: 39. Trouble with the boss
015: 40. Change in work hours
015: 41. Change in residence
015: 42. Change to a new school (other than graduation)
015: 43. Presently in pre-menstrual period
015: 44. Change in religious activity
010: 45. Going in debt (you or your family)
010: 46. Change in frequency of family gatherings
010: 47. Vacation
010: 48. Presently in winter holiday season
005: 49. Minor violation of the law 5

TOTAL SCORE = ____________

If you have experienced total stress within the last twelve months of 250 or greater, even with normal stress tolerance, you may be overstressed. Persons with low stress tolerance may be overstressed at levels as low as 150.

Adapted from “How to Survive Unbearable Stress” by Steve Burns MD (USA: Pergamon Press.1989)

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