PSS-10 Screening
Stress test
This is the PSS-10 — the most widely used measure of how stressed life has felt lately. Rather than counting events, it asks how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded the past month has felt to you. There is no pass or fail; it captures your perception, which is what matters.
In the last month, how often have you:
PSS-10 Your result
Your PSS-10 score
0 / 40
What this means
Sensible next steps
Read what the numbers mean in the PSS-10 scoring guide. Curious how reliable it is? See how accurate the PSS-10 is.
By the numbers Context
How common is stress?
Stress itself is universal — the question is how much of it you are carrying and how well it is being managed. In the American Psychological Association’s long-running Stress in America survey, about 76% of adults said they had experienced health effects of stress in the past month, from headaches and fatigue to feeling overwhelmed or low, and roughly a quarter rated their average stress at 8 or higher on a 10-point scale.
The PSS-10 does not diagnose anything. It measures perceived stress — how unpredictable and overloaded life has felt — because that perception, more than the raw number of events, is what wears on sleep, focus, and the body. A high score is a signal to look at what is piling up and, if it has been sustained, to bring in support. If stress is tangled with low mood or worry, screening for those alongside it is wise.
76%
of U.S. adults reported health effects of stress in the past month
APA
24%
rated their average stress 8 or higher out of 10
APA
#1
most widely used psychological instrument for measuring perceived stress
Cohen, 1983
Sources: American Psychological Association (APA), Stress in America survey; Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1983.
Score guide Interpretation
What your PSS-10 score means
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 0–13 | Low perceived stress |
| 14–26 | Moderate perceived stress |
| 27–40 | High perceived stress |
For what to do at each level, see the full PSS-10 scoring guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a cardiac stress test?
No. This is a psychological stress test — the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) — that measures how stressed life has felt over the past month. A cardiac stress test is a completely different medical procedure that checks your heart during exercise. If you are looking for the heart test, you need a doctor, not this page.
What are the warning signs of stress?
Common signs include trouble sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating, tension headaches, a racing mind, feeling overwhelmed, changes in appetite, and relying on caffeine or alcohol to cope. The PSS-10 asks about the underlying feelings of being unable to control or keep up with demands.
What is a normal PSS-10 score?
Scores of 0 to 13 are considered low perceived stress. 14 to 26 is moderate, and 27 to 40 is high. Because the scale measures perception rather than a disorder, there is no diagnostic “positive” cutoff — the number is a snapshot of how heavy the last month felt.
What is the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress is usually a response to an identifiable pressure and tends to ease when the pressure lifts. Anxiety is excessive worry that persists even without a clear trigger. They overlap and feed each other; if worry lingers, an anxiety screen (the GAD-7) may fit better.
Can stress make you physically sick?
Yes. Sustained stress is linked to headaches, disrupted sleep, digestive problems, a weakened immune response, high blood pressure, and worsening of many conditions. That is a large part of why measuring and managing it matters — and why persistent physical symptoms deserve a doctor’s attention.
Is the stress test free and private?
Yes — free, no sign-up, and scored entirely in your browser. Your answers never leave your device.