The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale
is a list of common traumatic life events compiled by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe, typically listed in order from most to least debilitating.
Adult
- Death of a spouse
- Divorce
- Marital separation
- Imprisonment
- Death of a close family member
- Personal injury or illness
- Marriage
- Dismissal from work
- Marital reconciliation
- Retirement
- Change in health of family member
- Pregnancy
- Sexual difficulties
- Gain a new family member
- Business readjustment
- Change in financial state
- Death of a close friend
- Change to different line of work
- Change in frequency of arguments
- Major mortgage
- Foreclosure of mortgage or loan
- Change in responsibilities at work
- Child leaving home
- Trouble with in-laws
- Outstanding personal achievement
- Spouse starts or stops work
- Begin or end school
- Change in living conditions
- Revision of personal habits
- Trouble with boss
- Change in working hours or conditions
- Change in residence
- Change in schools
- Change in recreation
- Change in church activities
- Change in social activities
- Minor mortgage or loan
- Change in sleeping habits
- Change in number of family reunions
- Change in eating habits
- Vacation
- Christmas
- Minor violation of law
Non-Adult (Children/Teenagers)
- Death of parent
- Unplanned pregnancy/abortion
- Getting married
- Divorce of parents
- Acquiring a visible deformity
- Fathering a child
- Prison sentence of parent for over one year
- Marital separation of parents
- Death of a brother or sister
- Change in acceptance by peers
- Unplanned pregnancy of sister
- Discovery of being an adopted child
- Marriage of parent to stepparent
- Death of a close friend
- Having a visible congenital deformity
- Serious illness requiring hospitalization
- Failure of a grade in school
- Not making an extracurricular activity
- Hospitalization of a parent
- Jail sentence of parent for over 30 days
- Breaking up with boyfriend or girlfriend
- Beginning to date
- Suspension from school
- Becoming involved with drugs or alcohol
- Birth of a brother or sister
- Increase in arguments between parents
- Loss of job by parent
- Outstanding personal achievement
- Change in parent's financial status
- Acceptance at college of choice
- Being a senior in high school
- Hospitalization of a sibling
- Increased absence of parent from home
- Brother or sister leaving home
- Addition of third adult to family
- Becoming a full-fledged member of a church
- Decrease in arguments between parents
- Decrease in arguments with parents
- Mother or father beginning work
