Self-reported physical stress reactions: first- and second-order factors

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychometrics
• Stress Research

Background:

• The Stress Inventory-6 is a 72-item self-report questionnaire assessing 18 physical stress reaction factors.
• Previous research on stress inventories has identified various symptom clusters.
• Understanding the factor structure of stress responses is crucial for accurate assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a factor analysis of the Stress Inventory-6 to identify its underlying factor structure.
• To determine the first-order and second-order factors of physical stress reactions captured by the inventory.
• To evaluate the representativeness of popular stress inventories in capturing a wide range of stress symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Factor analysis was applied to data from 474 students (254 female, 206 male).
• The analysis aimed to identify both first-order and second-order factors within the Stress Inventory-6.
• Statistical methods were used to determine the factor solution and interpret the identified factors.

Main Results:

• The factor analysis yielded a solution with 16 first-order and 4 second-order factors.
• First-order factors largely replicated previous findings, categorized by organ system, muscle group, and content.
• Second-order factors distinguished immediate/direct (Factors I, III, IV) from delayed/indirect (Factor II) stress symptoms, with Factor III representing 'fight or flight' and Factor I a complex arousal pattern.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a robust factor structure for the Stress Inventory-6, differentiating immediate and sustained stress responses.
• A significant distinction was found between 'fight or flight' arousal and more complex arousal patterns.
• The findings raise questions about the comprehensiveness of existing popular stress inventories in capturing the full spectrum of stress symptoms.