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Stressful Urban Life Events Scale
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About Stressful Urban Life Events Scale
Scale Name
Stressful Urban Life Events Scale
Author Details
Patrick H. Tolan, Laurie Miller, and Paul Thomas (1988), adapted by Brenda K. Attar, Nancy G. Guerra, and Patrick H. Tolan (1994)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Stressful Urban Life Events Scale, originally developed by Patrick H. Tolan, Laurie Miller, and Paul Thomas in 1988 and adapted by Brenda K. Attar, Nancy G. Guerra, and Patrick H. Tolan in 1994, is a youth-report questionnaire designed to measure stressful life events experienced in the past year, such as poor grades, family illness or death, and robbery. Targeting elementary school students in grades 2-5 (ages 7-11) in urban settings, the scale was used in studies examining the impact of stress on child development and behavior. Cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005), it aligns with stress and coping theories (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), assessing how exposure to negative life events and neighborhood violence affects young children.
The scale comprises 12 items divided into two subscales: stress due to negative life events (e.g., family illness, academic struggles) and stress due to neighborhood violence (e.g., robbery, witnessing violence). Items are rated on a binary scale (0 = “did not occur,” 1 = “occurred”) or a frequency scale (e.g., 1 = “never” to 4 = “often”), depending on the adaptation. Scores are summed per subscale (range varies by scoring), with higher scores indicating greater exposure to stressors. Validated in urban samples, it is used to assess stress exposure, predict emotional and behavioral outcomes, and inform interventions for at-risk youth.
Psychologists, educators, and public health researchers use the scale to evaluate stress in young children, study its impact on mental health, and design prevention programs. Its focus on urban stressors and young age group is a strength, but low internal consistency and English-only availability limit reliability and cross-cultural use.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths or related publications, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses stressful experiences to support child well-being, emphasizing anonymity and using age-appropriate, non-judgmental language suitable for young children.
- Provide instructions, asking students to indicate whether specific events occurred in the past year or their frequency, depending on the scale version.
- Approximate time for completion is 3-5 minutes, given the 12-item format and younger age group.
- Administer in a classroom or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private and supportive environment. Oral administration or assistance is recommended for younger students or those with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Stressful Urban Life Events Scale has moderate psychometric properties, as reported by Tolan and Gorman-Smith (1991) and cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is low to moderate, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.55 for stress due to negative life events and 0.61 for stress due to neighborhood violence, indicating limited item cohesion, likely due to the diverse nature of stressors and binary response options. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar stress measures (r ≈ 0.50-0.70 over months).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as increased emotional distress (r ≈ 0.20-0.40) and behavioral problems (r ≈ 0.15-0.35). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like academic achievement (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its use in predicting mental health outcomes in urban youth studies. Factor analyses support the two-factor structure (negative life events, neighborhood violence), confirming construct validity. The moderate reliability suggests cautious use, ideally paired with validated measures like the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991).
Available Versions
15-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Stressful Urban Life Events Scale measure?
It measures stressful life events and neighborhood violence experienced by children in the past year.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying elementary school students (grades 2-5).
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets urban elementary school students in grades 2-5.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, but moderate reliability (α = 0.55-0.61) suggests use with validated measures.
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