Scale Overview
The Stressful Urban Life Events Scale – SULES was developed by Tolan, P. H., Miller, L., & Thomas, P. (Adapted by Attar, B. K., Guerra, N. G., & Tolan, P. H.) (1988). It is designed to measure Stressful life events and environmental stress in urban youth. The scale is intended for use with Children and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 15 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Hassles, Life Transitions, Circumscribed Events, Violence, School Problems.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Hassles |
1,2,13,14,15 |
5 |
| Life Transitions |
4,5,6,12 |
4 |
| Circumscribed Events |
3,7,8,9,10,11 |
6 |
| Violence |
10,11,13,14,15 |
5 |
| School Problems |
1,2,3 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 15. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Exposure: 0 – 5
- Moderate Exposure: 6 – 10
- High Exposure: 11 – 15
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.