The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale is a tool used by healthcare professionals and patients to assess the risk of stress-related illnesses. It includes a list of over 40 life events, each assigned a numerical value, and a score above 250 indicates a high risk of developing disease. There is also a non-adult version for use with young people.
The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale is a rubric that a healthcare professional can use to assess a patient’s risk of stress-related illnesses. Patients may also use it as a self-assessment tool and may find it helpful in making stress treatment decisions. It is available free online and through counseling offices, with publication in both adult and non-adult versions.
This tool was developed by doctors Richard Rahe and Thomas Holmes in the late 1960s. They knew that stress can contribute to the development of disease and wanted to understand how different life events can affect a person’s health. They pooled patient data and survey results from a variety of populations to develop a rubric that could be applied to people with diverse backgrounds. The rubric was initially known as the Social Adjustment Rating Scale, but has since become generally known as the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale.
The scale includes a list of over 40 life events such as changing careers, a death in the family or breaking the law. Each event is assigned a numerical value in terms of how much impact it can have on a person’s health. Losing a spouse has a rating of 100, the most severe impact. A prison sentence is worth 63, while going on vacation is 13. A patient can scroll through the list to determine how many of these events he has experienced in the past few months, and the total can be added up to determine where he falls on the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale.
If the score is below 150, it suggests that the patient is not at very high risk for health problems related to stressful life events. Scores between 150 and 250 are cause for concern, with a high risk. The patient may benefit from interventions such as therapy and other forms of assistance. Scores above 250 indicate a high risk of developing disease.
The non-adult scale focuses on life events that may occur during childhood and adolescence, such as leaving home for the first time or a parent losing a job. This version of the Holmes and Rahe stress scale may be useful for guidance counselors and other professionals who work with young people. They can use the scale to identify students and clients at risk for health complications due to stressful life events. The scale can also be helpful in developing appropriate interventions.
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