PSS-10 Perceived Stress Scale

StressSelf-assessmentMental Health
10 items Questions
Usually 3-5 minutes

Introduction

The Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) is a widely used psychological stress assessment tool. The scale consists of 10 items that primarily assess an individual's perception of stress from life events over the past month. PSS-10 does not measure specific stressors, but rather measures an individual's subjective experience of stress and perceived coping ability.

Test Instructions

Please rate how often you felt or thought a certain way during the past month. Choose the option that best describes your situation. Each question has five choices: Never, Almost never, Sometimes, Fairly often, Very often.

Scoring Method

  • Total Score: Sum of all 10 items, range 0-40 points
  • Positive items: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 (scored normally)
  • Negative items: 4, 5, 7, 8 (reverse scored)
  • Severity: Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress

Dimension Explanation

  1. Stress PerceptionPerception of unpredictability and uncontrollability in life
  2. Coping AbilityConfidence in one's ability to cope and control situations
  3. Stress OverloadFeeling that life demands exceed coping abilities
  4. Emotional ResponseEmotional reactions to stressful situations

Notes

  1. This scale is suitable for assessing stress perception levels in adults
  2. PSS-10 scores do not have absolute cutoff values and need comprehensive analysis
  3. Persistent high stress perception may affect physical and mental health

Ready to start the assessment?