Measures of Objective and Subjective Stress by Level of Income

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relations between two types of stress (objective and subjective) and income. The methodological approach involved examining data collected via a health-screening process which was carried out among 10,350 adult males in various businesses and industries situated in the southwest region of the United States. The health-screening process assessed objective stress using the Social Readjustment Rating Scale and subjective stress using a 10-item Likert-type scale. The screening process also generated data regarding eight levels of income. Analysis of variance indicated that subjective stress was highest among individuals with the most income and lowest among those with the least income. Conversely, objective stress scores were highest among those with the least income and lowest among individuals with the most income. Also, objective and subjective stress scores were related as there were successive increases and decreases in respective stress scores for each increment of income. Based on these findings, apparently low-income groups experience more life-change events than high income groups, whereas high income groups seem to experience more psychological stress.