Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM)
Psychology: Mental HealthReliability: alpha 0.74–0.903 sample items
About this scale
A 28-item measure of cognitive appraisal of stressful situations across primary appraisals (threat, challenge, centrality) and secondary appraisals (controllable-by-self, controllable-by-others, uncontrollable).
Sample item(s)
“This situation has long-term consequences for me (centrality)”
“I see this situation as a challenge”
“I have what it takes to do well in this situation (control)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.74–0.90. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Anchored in Lazarus & Folkman's transactional stress model.
Source & citation
Peacock, E. J., & Wong, P. T. P. (1990): The stress appraisal measure (SAM): A multidimensional approach to cognitive appraisal. Stress Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 227–236.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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