Daily hassles and chronic stressors: conceptual and measurement issues

Stress MedicineVolume 15, Issue 2 p. 89-101 Research Article Daily hassles and chronic stressors: conceptual and measurement issues Susan E. Hahn PhD, Corresponding Author Susan E. Hahn PhD [email protected] utsa.edu Department of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, USAUniversity of Texas at San Antonio, Division of Behavioral and Cultural Sciences, 6900 North Loop 1604 West, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA.Search for more papers by this authorCarlla S. Smith PhD, Carlla S. Smith PhD Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, USASearch for more papers by this author Susan E. Hahn PhD, Corresponding Author Susan E. Hahn PhD [email protected] utsa.edu Department of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, USAUniversity of Texas at San Antonio, Division of Behavioral and Cultural Sciences, 6900 North Loop 1604 West, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA.Search for more papers by this authorCarlla S. Smith PhD, Carlla S. Smith PhD Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 14 April 1999 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1700(199904)15:2<89::AID-SMI789>3.0.CO;2-OCitations: 28AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Abstract Researchers have studied similar stressful events under different construct labels. This study examined three explanations for the overlap: definitional confusion, measurement problems associated with using normative measures to assess stressful events and poor measure development. Two types of stressors, hassles and chronic stressors, were used to examine the overlap issue. A literature review indicated that overlapping definitions of hassles and chronic stressors have been widely used by researchers. Items from traditional work and non-work hassles and chronic stressor measures were categorized by 323 hospital employees as either hassles or chronic stressors. Results revealed that items from traditional hassles measures were not consistently categorized by participants as hassles but were categorized by some as chronic stressors. A similar inconsistent categorization was found for chronic stressors. Results suggest that traditional normative measures of hassles and chronic stressors may be inadequate. Implications of these results for acute stressor measurement are discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Citing Literature Volume15, Issue2April 1999Pages 89-101 RelatedInformation