How overloaded life has felt over the past month. The PSS-10, created by Cohen and colleagues (1983), is the most widely used perceived-stress questionnaire. It measures not the number of stressful events in your life, but how unpredictable, uncontrollable and overloaded life feels to you. Ten items, five of them reverse-scored.
The PSS-10 asks about your subjective sense of stress over the last month — whether things feel out of control, piling up, or beyond your ability to cope. Two people can face the same events and feel very different levels of stress, which is why the feeling itself is the meaningful indicator.
A high score does not mean you are "bad at handling pressure"; it suggests your current load may be exceeding your resources. Sustained high stress is linked to sleep, immune, cardiovascular and mood problems.
Five items are positively worded (e.g. "confident about your ability to handle problems") and are reverse-scored automatically. Just answer honestly — no need to second-guess the scoring.
Scoring & bands
In the last month, how often have you felt the following?
0–13 · Low stress: Your score suggests low perceived stress over the past month — life feels predictable and manageable overall.
14–26 · Moderate stress: Your score suggests a moderate level of perceived stress — a common range during busy periods, but worth watching so it doesn't climb.
27–40 · High stress: Your score suggests a high level of perceived stress — your current load may clearly exceed your coping resources, which erodes sleep, mood and physical health over time.
FAQ
How is perceived stress different from anxiety?
Perceived stress measures how heavy and uncontrollable life currently feels; anxiety measures the intensity of worry and tension symptoms. Stress is the load, anxiety is the response — related, but not the same.
What are reverse-scored items?
Half the PSS-10 items are positive statements (like "you were on top of things"); agreeing with them lowers your total. The app handles this automatically — just answer truthfully.
What should I do about a high score?
First adjust the stressors where possible (drop, delegate or postpone tasks), then add genuine recovery (sleep, exercise, people). If it stays high and drags your mood down, consider a professional assessment.
Source: Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav, 1983
All scales on this site are widely used self-report instruments for self-understanding and screening only — they cannot replace a professional diagnosis. If you need help, please consult a doctor or therapist.