Adolescent stress: issues of measurement

The purpose of this study was to determine if variations in the construction and scoring of a life events scale (stress measure) for adolescents yield different outcomes. Scoring methods included frequency, sum, and average scores as indications of positive stress, negative stress, and a combination of both. Two types of comparison were used. First, the extent to which these scoring methods were intercorrelated was assessed in order to determine whether each measured similar or dissimilar aspects of stress. Second, the relationships between these different methods and a measure of self-esteem were examined. The findings indicated that frequency of life events and their average intensity were distinct measures and of equal importance when assessing stress among adolescents. The results lend support to the use of both stimulus- and cognitive-oriented models in constructing and scoring measures of adolescent stress.