Psychometric properties of the Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI) : Extension to a patient sample with coronary heart disease

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine 1996-06, Vol.19 (3), p.273-287
• Main Authors: MOSLEY, T. H, PAYNE, T. J, PLAUD, J. J, JOHNSON, C. A, WITTROCK, D. A, SEVILLE, J. L, PENZIEN, D. B, RODRIGUEZ, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Coronary Disease - psychology; Depression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Illness and personality; Illness, stress and coping; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Personality Inventory; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sampling Studies; Sick Role; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; Time Factors; Type A Personality
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01857769

The psychometric characteristics of the Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI) were examined in a sample of medical patients (N = 84) diagnosed with coronary heart disease. In addition to the WSI, patients completed measures assessing recent depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, Type A behavior, and trait anxiety. Patients also monitored stress for 3 weeks (n = 46), completing the Daily Stress Inventory (a measure of minor stress) daily and the WSI at concurrent 1-week intervals. Results indicated that the WSI is an internally consistent and moderately stable measure. Validity of the WSI was supported by (a) strong correlations with a concurrently administered measure of minor stress (concurrent validity); (b) significant positive correlations with measures assessing recent depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and Type A behavior; and (c) a lack of relationship with a measure of trait anxiety (discriminant validity).