PSS-10
Perceived Stress Scale (10-item)
The most widely used measure of perceived stress.
10
4 min
adult
0–40
About the PSS-10
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a ten-item measure of the degree to which a person appraises situations in their life as stressful — unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloading — over the past month. It assesses the subjective experience of stress rather than the occurrence of specific stressful events.
Items are rated 0–4, with several positively worded items reverse-scored, giving a total of 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress. The PSS is used widely in both research and applied health settings.
What it measures
- Perceived helplessness — feeling unable to control or cope with demands
- Perceived self-efficacy — confidence in handling problems (reverse-scored)
PSS-10 questions
- 1
In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?
- 2
In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?
- 3
In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?
- 4
In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?
- 5
In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?
- 6
In the last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?
- 7
In the last month, how often have you been able to control irritations in your life?
- 8
In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?
- 9
In the last month, how often have you been angered because of things that happened that were outside of your control?
- 10
In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?
Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.
Scoring & interpretation
| Range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–13 | Low stress | Low perceived stress. |
| 14–26 | Moderate stress | Moderate perceived stress — consider stress-management strategies. |
| 27–40 | High stress | High perceived stress — clinical review recommended. |
Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Clinical applications
- Measuring perceived stress in research and health-psychology programmes
- Workplace and well-being interventions
- Tracking stress over time alongside mood and anxiety measures
Frequently asked questions
What is a high PSS-10 score?
Scores of 0–13 are usually considered low stress, 14–26 moderate, and 27–40 high perceived stress.
Source & references
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