The Holmes–Rahe Stress Inventory

Abstract

In 1967, psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe examined over 5000 patient’s medical records to determine whether stressful events cause illnesses. Patients ranked a list of 43 life events based on a relative score. Each event, called a Life Change Unit (LCU), had a different ‘weight’ for stress. More events mean a higher score. The higher the score, and the larger the weight of each event, the more likely the patient would become ill. Their results were published as the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) [1], now commonly known as the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Subsequent validation supported the links between stress and illness [2]. The premise is that stressors can be ranked by the degree of change or upheaval they typically cause in individuals’ lives. The scale lists common stressful events and arbitrarily assigns a value of 50 ‘LCUs’ to the stress caused by marriage. Interpretation of the overall score is difficult because of the large interpersonal differences in individual’s ability to cope and their particular reactions to stress.

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