social readjustment rating scale

social readjustment rating scale,

a scale of 43 common events associated with some degree of disruption of an individual's life. The scale was developed by the psychologists T.J. Holmes and R. Rahe, who found that a number of serious physical disorders, such as myocardial infarction, peptic ulcer, and infections, and a variety of psychiatric disorders were associated with an accumulation of 200 or more points on the rating scale within a period of 1 year. Most disruptive on one's life, according to the psychologists, was the death of a spouse, which warranted 100 points. The lowest rated event was a minor law violation, rated at 11 points.