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3 Minute Stress Test

Based on the work of Dr. Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D.

Instructions: Below is a list of questions that relate to life experiences common among people who have been diagnosed with excessive levels of stress. Please read each question carefully, and indicate how often you have experienced the same or similar challenges in the past few weeks.

Your privacy is protected. All results are anonymous.

Question 1 of 10

Over the past weeks, how often have you been bothered by...

Feeling that you were unable to control the important things in your life?

Not at all Several days More than half the days Nearly every day

The IDRlabs 3 Minute Stress Test (IDR-3MSTRT) was developed by IDRlabs. The IDR-3MSTRT is based on the work of Dr. Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., and the Perceived Stress Scale tool. The IDR-3MSTRT is not associated with any specific researchers in the field of psychopathology, or any affiliated research institutions.

The IDRlabs 3 Minute Stress Test was informed by the Perceived Stress Scale, as published in Cohen S., Kamarck T, Mermelstein, R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983, Dec;24(4), 385-96. PMID: 6668417. And Cohen S, Williamson, G. Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States. In Spacapan S. Oskamp S, editors. The Social Psychology of Health. Newbury Park (CA): Sage; 1988. p. 31-67.

Dr. Cohen is a world-renowned researcher whose work on stress has been highly influential in psychological research. The present test is intended for educational purposes only. IDRlabs and the present IDRlabs 3 Minute Stress Quiz are independent from the above researchers, organizations, or their affiliated institutions.

The 3 Minute Stress Test is based on a famous and well-regarded inventory for the assessment of non-specific perceived stress, defined as the extent to which people perceive that the general demands of their daily life exceed their ability to cope. However, free online tests and quizzes such as this one are solely first takes and cannot provide clinically accurate assessments of your personality.. Hence, the test is intended to be used for educational purposes only. A definitive stress assessment can be made only by a qualified psychology researcher and/or mental health professional.

As the publishers of this free online 3 Minute Stress quiz, which allows you to assess your levels of psychological and physiological stress, we have strived to make the test as reliable and valid as possible, by subjecting this test to statistical controls and validation. However, free online quizzes such as the present 3 Minute Stress Test do not provide professional assessments or recommendations of any kind; the test is provided entirely “as-is.” For more information about the any of our online tests and quizzes, please consult our Terms of Service.

Why Use This Test?

1. Free. This 3 Minute Stress Test is delivered to you free of charge and will allow you to measure your levels of psychological and physiological stress.

2. Academically rigorous. The feedback delivered by this instrument is based on scientific research and is designed to deliver a clear picture of the respondent’s levels of psychological and physiological stress.

3. Statistical controls. Statistical analysis of the test is conducted to ensure maximum accuracy and validity of the test scores.

4. Made by professionals. The present test has been made with the input of people who work professionally with psychology and mental health research.