PSS-10 questions, answer choices, and instructions
What are the PSS-10 response options?
The response labels indicate how often you had the experience described. The numbers below are the response codes; for positively worded items, they must be reversed before calculating the total.
| Answer choice | Response code |
|---|---|
| Never | 0 |
| Almost never | 1 |
| Sometimes | 2 |
| Fairly often | 3 |
| Very often | 4 |
What do the questions cover?
The questionnaire covers experiences of things feeling outside your control, demands building up, and being able to manage everyday problems. It includes both positive and negative wording.
This page summarizes the format rather than reproducing a new questionnaire. Use the linked form if you want the full item wording. Substituting “my exams” for “my life,” or replacing items with your own questions, would create an adaptation whose results cannot simply be treated as standard PSS-10 results.
How should I answer about the last month?
Consider the stated period as a whole. Do not change it to today, the past two weeks, or the time since your most recent exam. Different timeframes ask different questions.
For a practical example, imagine you complete the form after an unusually difficult morning. You can briefly think back across the month before responding. That does not make the morning unimportant; you can describe it separately if it is what prompted you to seek help.
There is no need to produce a day-by-day diary before answering. If you cannot interpret a question or need help accessing the form, ask the person administering it rather than silently changing its meaning.
Should I reverse my answers while taking the test?
No. Select the option that describes your experience. Reverse scoring is a calculation performed afterward, not an instruction to answer the opposite of what you felt.
For instance, responding that you frequently felt capable should remain an honest response about feeling capable. The scoring process accounts for its direction. Trying to “correct” your answer while completing the form can lead to it being reversed twice.
What if I miss a question or use a different version?
The usual PSS-10 total assumes all ten items are answered. A blank response is not the same as Never. Do not silently fill blanks with zero or treat an incomplete sum as a standard total. Follow any explicit missing-answer procedure provided by the administrator.
Check that your form is PSS-10. The PSS family also includes 14-item and four-item versions. Different versions have different ranges and item numbering. You cannot apply PSS-10 reverse-item numbers to another version or compare their raw totals directly.
Can I use a translated form or ask someone to help?
Use an appropriate language version where available, and check its source and instructions. A translation being available does not mean it has been validated for every age group or country.
Someone can assist with reading or accessibility, but the answers should describe your experience. If a helper has to interpret wording for you, tell the professional discussing the result. A parent or teacher’s guess is not the same as the student’s self-report.
This page is educational. A questionnaire score cannot establish a diagnosis or explain the cause of your symptoms. If you are struggling, speak with a counselor or healthcare professional, whatever your score.
Read how to ask for support or find a helpline in your country.