The Social Readjustment Rating Scale

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The Social Readjustment Rating Scale The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was developed by Holmes

and Rahe (1967). This scale uses a variety of life events rated on a

scale of 0-100, with death of spouse at 100, being the most stressful

of the events on the scale. The values of all the experienced events

are then added together to give a total stress score. A number of

studies have shown that people’s illness rates increase following

increase rates in stress scores. However, a number of items on the

scale are vague e.g. ‘personal injury or illness’ appears to suggest

that someone could have the same stress score for flu and cancer.

Second, there is no general failure to consider the impact of an event

on an individual. Christmas is considered to be a mildly stressful

event, yet to some people, Christmas may seem extremely stressful, as

it may emphasise their loneliness. There is also failure to

distinguish between desirable and undesirable events. For example

pregnancy, could be much desired for a couple who are planning a

family, yet it may seem a disaster to a single mother who is

struggling with life as it is.

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