What is the PSS?

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a widely used psychological instrument designed to measure the degree to which individuals perceive situations in their lives as stressful. Developed by Sheldon Cohen and colleagues in the 1980s, the PSS captures subjective experiences of stress—how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded individuals find their lives, rather than stress based on any specific events.

The PSS is included in Creyos Health as part of its suite of standardized behavioral health questionnaires.

Use in Clinical Settings

The PSS is applicable across a variety of clinical and non-clinical populations and is frequently used in primary care, behavioral health, and wellness settings. It is particularly useful for identifying patients who may benefit from stress management interventions, behavioral health referrals, or further evaluation for mood or anxiety disorders.

How It Works

The PSS asks respondents to reflect on their thoughts and feelings over the past month. For example, one item asks:

“In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?”

Each item is rated on a 5-point scale from “never” to “very often,” and the responses are totaled to produce a summary score:

• Scores between 14 and 25 may indicate moderate stress

• Scores above 27 may suggest high perceived stress

These benchmarks help clinicians monitor changes in perceived stress levels over time and support early intervention when needed.

How It Relates to Cognition

Stress can significantly impact cognitive function, including attention, memory, and executive processes. By integrating the PSS with Creyos Health’s cognitive tasks, clinicians gain a more comprehensive view of the patient’s functioning—linking subjective stress perception with objective cognitive performance to inform care planning.

Psychometric Properties

The PSS is supported by a robust body of research. Studies have confirmed its strong reliability (Lee, 2012) and construct validity, including its ability to predict a range of stress-related outcomes such as mental health symptoms, physical health complaints, and healthcare utilization (Cohen & Williamson, 1998; Baik et al., 2019).

Clinical Considerations

While the PSS does not diagnose a condition or prescribe a specific treatment path, it is a reliable screening tool that quantifies how much stress a patient perceives in their daily life. Scores should always be interpreted alongside clinical judgment and other assessments when determining the next steps in care.

To explore all behavioral and cognitive health tools available in the Creyos platform, refer to the Creyos Standardized Questionnaires Guide.