Perceived Stress Scale

For each of the following questions, choose from the following alternatives:

0-Never

1-Almost Never

2-Sometimes

3-Fairly Often

4-Very Often

In the past month…

  1. How often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?

  2. How often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?

  3. How often have you felt nervous or stressed?

  4. How often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?

  5. How often have you felt that things were going your way?

  6. How often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?

  7. How often have you been able to control irritations in your life?

  8. How often have you felt that you were on top of things?

  9. How often have you been angered because of things that happened that were outside of your control?

  10. How often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

Determine Your Score

First, reverse your score for questions 4, 5, 7, and 8.
On those 4 questions, change the scores like this:

0=4 1=3 2=2 3=1 4=0

Now, add up your scores for each item to get a total.

0-13

Low Stress

14-26

Moderate Stress

27-40

High Stress

So you’ve taken the test — now what?

Remember this assessment is designed for self-evaluation. It is simply the first step in gaining a better understanding of your stress levels, along with the specific circumstances and feelings that may be causing anxiety in your life. 

You may need to process your results with a friend, clear some things off your plate, or seek the support of a counselor. You may need to seek financial or practical support through our resources page. 

You may simply need to sit with your emotions in the presence of the Lord and allow Him to speak into your feelings and circumstances.

Remember that it’s okay to ask for help, and remember that God cares about every detail of your life. He cares about the practical challenges you are facing, and He cares about your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Whatever you are facing — whatever things overwhelm you — He is never overwhelmed. He is walking hand in hand with you.