Holmes and Rahe developed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to measure life changes and their associated stress levels. They identified 43 common life events and had participants rate them on the amount of adjustment required, with marriage rated highest. Events like divorce and bereavement required more adjustment than others. Their research found that individuals with over 300 life change units in a year had an 80% chance of illness, linking life stressors to health issues.

1. Life Changes

2. Booklet 1 recap!
Definition of stress
When there is an imbalance between the
perceived demands of the situation and the
individuals’ perceived ability to cope
Definition of a stressor
Any event that causes a stress reaction in the
body (such as life changes or environmental
situations) e.g. Marriage, college, bereavement

3. Booklet 1 recap!
Body’s response to stress
Acute - SympAthoMedullary pathway
(AHSAAFP)
Chronic – Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis
(CHCPAACLIS)
Research into stress and
the immune system
Kiecolt-Glaser (1995)
13 carers
Cytokines, puncture biopsy & stress perception Qre
Carer group took 9 days longer to heal than control

4. Life Changes
Definition: significant changes in a
person’s life which disrupt their
normal routine.
(positive and negative e.g.
Marriage, moving house,
bereavement)
Holmes and Rahe (1967) were the first to record the
effects of life events.
From their work in hospitals, H&R noticed that certain
life events seemed to be associated with stress and poor
health
Aim – to investigate Life Changes as a source of stress

5. Holmes & Rahe - procedure
• Identified 43 life changes from examining
Identify
the hospital records of 5000 patients that
the life
appeared in the months before their
events
illness
Complete to 50 of marriage
• They assigned a random value
Establish
the scale
the SRRS
• Asked 394 ps to rate the other events compared
In pairs list as many lifemuch readjustment
to marriage in terms of how events
would be required
as you can that would disrupt
yourself
(more=higher score, less=lower score)
normal routine and require
some kind 50 to marriage, ratein
Let’s assign of readjustment 6
• The scores from all participantsof
other life events according to level were
order to cope produce a life
LCUs totalled and averaged to
readjustment (change) needed
change unit score forscore life event
More? = higher each
Less? = lower score

6. = Findings:
1. Most events were considered less
stressful than marriage
Conclusion: 2. Events such as divorce, bereavement
This shows some link were considered more stressful
between life events and 3. People with LCU scores of 300+ had
illness approx an 80% chance of becoming ill
It’s thought that the link is
stress
Research Methods Recap
Holmes and Rahe found a
positive correlation between the
number of life events/changes
and their likelihood of developing
an illness – what would this look
like?!

7. X X
X X
events
X
Life
X
X X X
X X
X
Illness

8. Holmes & Rahe A02
• There is research to support the link between life events
P and stress related illness
• For example Gupta (2004) found that high SRRS scores
positively correlated with the severity & frequency of
E skin problems in participants who were healthy
• This is a strength because Gupta offers support for
Holmes and Rahe’s study, supporting the positive
E relationship between life events and illness

9. Holmes & Rahe A02
• Holmes and Rahe’s research uses correlational analysis
P
• For example a cause and effect relationship between
life events and stress cannot be established
E
• This is weakness because we cannot conclusively say
E that life events cause stress or vice versa

10. Holmes & Rahe A02
• Holmes and Rahe’s research raises ethical issues
P
• For example the research involved participants
recalling stressful events of the last 12 months which
E might distress or upset participants
• This is a weakness as researchers have a duty of care
to their participants and so should not cause them any
E undue stress