Measuring Children's Stress: An Evaluation of Methods

Although much research has been done examining adult stressors, only recently have researchers focused attention on measuring levels of stress in children. Because children tend not to be aware of their own tense state, instruments are needed to measure levels of stress in children. The two main methods of measuring stress in children are to ask the child directly and to use significant adults in the child's environment to rate the child's level of stress. This paper describes and evaluates several methods of measuring stress in children: (1) Coddington's Life Events Scale-Children; (2) Chandler's Stress Response Scale; (3) Webb, VanDevere, and Ott's Structured Pediatric Psychosocial Interview; (4) Phillips' Children's School Questionnaire; and (5) Wiggins, McCranie, and Bailey's Psychological Stress Evaluator. It is noted that the limited research which characterizes most of these instruments presents problems of reliability and validity. The use of a multi-measurement approach by a school psychologist to assess the effects of stress on an individual child is recommended. These factors are listed: identification of stressors in the child's life, the child's adjustment to and perception of these stressors, and assessment of the impact of the stressors on the child's functioning. The paper concludes by noting that the instruments provide information useful in understanding a child as well as in designing a stress management plan. (ABL)