What is the Perceived Stress Scale?

The PSS-10 is a clinically validated 10-item self-report questionnaire developed by Sheldon Cohen in 1983 to measure perceived stress levels.

Is this a medical diagnosis?

No. This is an informational self-check and not a diagnosis or substitute for professional mental health care.

What time period should I consider?

Rate how often you have felt or thought a certain way during the last month.

Stress Level Test – Free PSS-10 Assessment

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) — Sheldon Cohen, Carnegie Mellon University, 1983

Understanding your stress score

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) measures how overwhelmed and out of control your life has felt over the past month. A high score doesn't mean something is wrong with you — it means your nervous system is overloaded. Chronic stress is one of the leading causes of burnout, anxiety, and physical illness. Mental Detox is an AI-powered journaling tool that helps you process daily stress using evidence-based CBT and ACT techniques.

Stress relief app

Mental Detox helps you identify what's triggering your stress, process emotions in real time, and build daily habits that restore your sense of control — without medication or long waitlists.

Signs of chronic stress

Irritability, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, physical tension, emotional exhaustion — these are your body's signals that stress has moved from temporary to chronic. Early action matters.

How to reduce stress

Research shows that naming your emotions, identifying triggers, and structured self-reflection are among the most effective non-clinical tools for reducing perceived stress over time.