Assessing Lifetime Stressor Exposure Using the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adults (Adult STRAIN) in Slovak: An Age- and Gender-Representative Sample
Abstract
Stress is widely recognized as a strong risk factor for developing both somatic and mental health problems. Although the cumulative impact of stress over the lifetime (i.e., allostatic load) has been measured for years based on biological indicators, a psychological measure of lifetime stressor exposure has been lacking. The Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) addresses this gap by assessing lifetime stressor exposure in an online, interview-based format. Here, we present the first validation of the Adult STRAIN into Slovak, conducted on a quota-based sample based on age and gender. A total of 260 participants, aged 18 to 85 years old, completed the STRAIN and a battery of questionnaires. Participants experienced 16.06 stressors, on average, with women experiencing more lifetime stressors. The STRAIN had high convergent validity as evidenced by associations with adverse childhood experiences, negative life events, and perceived stress. The STRAIN also exhibited excellent predictive utility in relation to self-reported physical (r = 0.30) and psychopathological symptoms (r = 0.33), sleep disturbance (r = 0.30), and doctor-diagnosed general health problems (OR = 1.043), autoimmune disorders (OR = 1.065) and psychiatric disorders (OR = 1.033) . Finally, the STRAIN exhibited no or very weak correlations with social desirability and participants’ personality traits, underscoring its discriminant validity. The Slovak STRAIN is thus a valid tool for assessing lifetime stressor exposure.
Related
- Getting the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Ready for Clinical Practice: Population-Representative Norms That Embrace Uncertainty
- Self-Identity and Trauma- and Stressor-related Psychopathology: A Systematic Review
- Identity Centrality and Trauma- and Stressor-related Psychopathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- Beyond Criterion A: Employing a Three-Level Framework for Conceptualizing Youth Stressor Severity and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
- Astrocyte lipid metabolism in brain health and neurodegeneration: from regulatory hub to maladaptive stressor.
BibTeX
@misc{rajcani2026assessing,
title = {{Assessing Lifetime Stressor Exposure Using the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adults (Adult STRAIN) in Slovak: An Age- and Gender-Representative Sample}},
author = {Jakub Rajcani and Annamária Antalová and Jana Martakova and Josef Hamza and Zach Gray and George M. Slavich},
howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/7tfqx_v1},
url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/7tfqx_v1/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Assessing Lifetime Stressor Exposure Using the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adults (Adult STRAIN) in Slovak: An Age- and Gender-Representative Sample
AU - Jakub Rajcani
AU - Annamária Antalová
AU - Jana Martakova
AU - Josef Hamza
AU - Zach Gray
AU - George M. Slavich
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/09
PB - PsyArXiv
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/7tfqx_v1
UR - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/7tfqx_v1/
AB - Stress is widely recognized as a strong risk factor for developing both somatic and mental health problems. Although the cumulative impact of stress over the lifetime (i.e., allostatic load) has been measured for years based on biological indicators, a psychological measure of lifetime stressor exposure has been lacking. The Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) addresses this gap by assessing lifetime stressor exposure in an online, interview-based format. Here, we present the first validation of the Adult STRAIN into Slovak, conducted on a quota-based sample based on age and gender. A total of 260 participants, aged 18 to 85 years old, completed the STRAIN and a battery of questionnaires. Participants experienced 16.06 stressors, on average, with women experiencing more lifetime stressors. The STRAIN had high convergent validity as evidenced by associations with adverse childhood experiences, negative life events, and perceived stress. The STRAIN also exhibited excellent predictive utility in relation to self-reported physical (r = 0.30) and psychopathological symptoms (r = 0.33), sleep disturbance (r = 0.30), and doctor-diagnosed general health problems (OR = 1.043), autoimmune disorders (OR = 1.065) and psychiatric disorders (OR = 1.033) . Finally, the STRAIN exhibited no or very weak correlations with social desirability and participants’ personality traits, underscoring its discriminant validity. The Slovak STRAIN is thus a valid tool for assessing lifetime stressor exposure.
ER -