What Is the STRAIN?
The Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) is a comprehensive, web-based system for assessing lifetime exposure to stress. It measures both acute life events and chronic difficulties across development using adaptive branching logic.
When a stressor is endorsed, follow-up questions capture frequency, timing, duration, severity, and age at exposure. This structure enables detailed lifetime stress assessment in an online format.
The STRAIN classifies stressors across 12 life domains and 5 stressor characteristics and generates structured summary scores for statistical analysis.
Structured Overview
Assesses
- Acute life events
- Chronic difficulties
Captures
- Frequency
- Timing
- Duration
- Severity
- Age at exposure
Organizes
- 12 life domains
- 5 stressor characteristics
Produces
- Count (CT) summary scores
- Severity/Threat (TH) summary scores