Dr. Richard Rahe: Products for Stress Management

Learn More about A Recent Life Changes Stress Test (RLCST)

This is the "classic" stress test! Drs. Holmes and Rahe first introduced this test in the late 1960s. Since then it has been used in hundreds of studies of life change and illness onset. Applications of this test continue to be helpful today. For example, it was recently reported that one of the best predictors of the progression of AIDS in infected persons is a patient's number of recent life changes.

Dr. Rahe developed the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire (RLCQ) in 1975 and continues to use this version of the test in his research studies. However, for educational purposes he shortened the list of 78 RLCQ life changes to 55 life change events for use in his Recent Life Changes Stress Test found on this site.

You can take the Recent Life Changes Stress Test for $1.00. Remember, life change measurement is only one of several other stress measures contained in the SCI and in the BSCI.

Derived from Dr. Rahe's work with Thomas Holmes, M.D. in the 1960s, this test provides a look at a person's life change experiences over the past year. Completing this brief inventory and scoring with recently revised life change units (LCU), a rough assessment of a person's near-future risk for an illness or accident is obtained. A brief description of the risk category obtained is presented along with the test's total LCU score.

Learn More about Brief Stress and Coping Inventory (BSCI)

Dr. Rahe created the Brief Stress and Coping Inventory (BSCI) in order to provide a quick look at a person's balance between stress and coping. The BSCI requires only 10-15 minutes to complete. Although designed for teaching, the BSCI has also been used in research with reliable and interesting results. (See Publications page.)

A paper and pencil version of the BSCI and the BSCI Exercise Booklet may also be ordered from this site. Dr. Rahe uses the paper and pencil version, along with the BSCI Exercise Booklet, in his lectures and workshops.

In 1999 Dr. Rahe created this abbreviated version of his well validated Stress and Coping Inventory. This test was designed for persons wishing to take a quick look at stress and coping in their present lives. The BSCI can be taken on-line with immediate results available upon completion. Results, in HTML or PDF, can be viewed in text or numerical formats.

The Exercise Booklet was created by Dr. Rahe to accompany the full BSCI. The various exercises are designed to expand the information provided by the BSCI. The booklet also encourages participants to develop health and wellness goals. It can be downloaded in PDF format.

On-line BSCI reports not only go to the client but also are stored in a private database for the clinician. This database allows for very detailed assessments of individuals and groups. This BSCI option both promotes clients' stress and coping awareness as well as helps the clinician select treatment goals. Follow-up BSCI reports compared to initial results can display effectiveness of therapy. Contact Dr. Rahe for ordering this product, setting up your private database, and large order discounts.

This Manual was written for clinicians wishing to use the BSCI in their practice. It outlines the five stress and five coping measures, gives the rationale for their inclusion, presents the scoring key and lists important scientific studies supporting each measure. The Manual is recommended to be be downloaded in PDF format.

The Introductory Edition was designed for individuals, and groups, wishing to take the BSCI and see their results in a brief, pictorial summary. This format of results has proven very popular with high school students taking social science classes.

A paper and pencil, self-scored, edition of the BSCI is also available. These are sold in lots of 5 for $35.00 a lot. The costs for postage and handling for up to 10 BSCIs is $10.00. This fee increases for larger orders and priority mail. Bulk discounts are available. Contact Dr. Rahe by e-mail for such requests.

A printed edition of the BSCI Exercise Booklet is available. These are sold in lots of 5 for $35.00 a lot. The costs for postage and handling for up to 10 booklets is $10.00. This postage and handling fee increases for larger orders and for priority mail. Bulk discounts are available. Contact Dr. Rahe by e-mail for such requests.

In development is a five session Stress and Recovery Course, to be taken on-line utilizing the BSCI and Dr. Rahe's Expanded BSCI Exercise Booklet. Each session takes approximately one hour. One set of instructions will be available for persons electing to take the course alone and another set written for those wishing to include important family members.

If you wish to have a 30-minute telephone coaching call with Dr. Rahe you must first purchase and complete one or more of the following tests: the BSCI; the SCI; or the Life Chart. Dr Rahe will be available on Friday afternoons, from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., Pacific Standard Time. In an e-mail, give Dr. Rahe three possible 30 minute intervals you would be free. He will e-mail back to you confirming one of these times and give you his phone number to call. When you call you should be seated in front of your computer screen and have it open to your test results.

Learn More about Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI)

Four stress measures and four coping assessments comprise the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI). The SCI has been completed by thousands of individuals over the past several years. Research studies, including reports on its reliability and validity, have been published. (See Publications page.)

You can take the SCI, on line, from this web site. Allow 30-45 minutes to complete the test. The more careful and honest you are with your answers the greater will be the benefits that you derive.

A Workbook for the SCI is also available. The workbook furthers one's understanding of their test results, provides additional educational information, and lists suggested reading. See SCI Workbook.

Dr. Rahe composed this comprehensive examination of a person's recent life stresses and their current coping capabilities in 1986. Thousands of persons have completed this inventory and found it to be extremely helpful. The SCI is now available to be taken online. Detailed results are obtained immediately following completion. These data-oriented results can be printed in HTML or PDF format.

The SCI Workbook was developed to help educators teach stress management using the SCI. The workbook is divided into six, one-hour, presentations. Each presentation incorporates key wellness issues, suggested exercises, humorous cartoons, and a reading list. Dr. Rahe used the SCI and the SCI Workbook in his California Wellness Foundation study where participants were found to lower their doctor visits by 34% over the following year.

Learn More about The Life Chart

Adolf Meyer, M.D. was the first Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, MD. He developed the Life Chart to document life events and illnesses over a person's lifetime. Dr. Rahe simplified this instrument and added coping measures to it.

This test can be extremely helpful for individuals to better understand the timing of onset of major illnesses and/or accidents during their lifetime. To illustrate this approach, Dr. Rahe has published a Life Chart for the famous artist Vincent van Gogh. (See Publications page.)

The Life Chart requires 45-90 minutes to complete. Taking a break during this time is recommended. The way to do this is provided in the Life Chart Instructions. A Life Chart Manual will be available soon to help explain the significances of frequently seen life stress, illness, and coping profiles.

The Life Chart was originally devised by Adolf Meyer, M.D. in the 1920s and later revised by Dr. Rahe in 1970 for use in his U.S. Navy studies. The Life Chart documents major life events, illnesses, and two aspects of coping with stress across a lifetime. This test is particularly useful for persons with a chronic illness. Test results help them to understand periods in their lives of high illness vulnerability as well as other life intervals typified by resilience to illness.

Dr. Rahe created a life chart history for the famous artist Vincent van Gogh. This publication contains several beautiful color plates of van Gogh's paintings. A copy can be obtained (while supplies last) for only the $25.00 handling and postage fee.

In preparation is a Life Chart Manual. When completed, it will present a full history of the test as well as provide examples of individuals' life charts documenting stresses, illnesses, and coping across their lifetimes. Each profile will have an accompaning explanation. The Manual will be available in HTML and PDF format.