The Poverty-Related Stress Scale: Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Measure Assessing Poverty-Related Stressors
Table 2
The 30-item measures: exploratory factor analysis and factor loading scores.
Items
Stressor Type
EFA Model
1
I had difficulty sleeping or doing other important things due to noise disturbances inside my home (e.g., crying infants and loud family members).
PHY
0.67
0.02
0.07
0.48
2
I had difficulty sleeping or doing other important things due to noise disturbances outside my home (e.g., loud neighbors, construction, neighborhood violence, public transportation, and car alarms).
PHY
0.70
-0.10
0.15
0.49
3
I was reluctant to go home or return home because the noise in my house was uncomfortably loud.
PHY
0.68
0.21
-0.05
0.32
4
I felt the need to get up and leave when it became noisy in my house.
PHY
0.76
0.13
0.01
0.27
5
I have felt stressed, irritable, or fatigued by the noise in my home.
PHY
0.70
0.03
0.11
0.41
6
I have felt overwhelmed by the amount of people living in my home.
PSYSO
0.38
0.37
0.03
0.50
7
I was prone to sickness because of the amount of people living in my home.
PHY
0.43
0.46
-0.07
0.36
8
I had difficulty finding time to be alone because of the number of people in my home.
PHY
0.54
0.05
0.13
0.58
9
I have difficulty accessing the toilet, showers, laundry, or other resources due to the amount of people in my home.
PHY
0.30
0.57
-0.04
0.36
10
I had to let go of some hopes and dreams to meet my most basic needs (shelter, food, clothing, etc.)
PSYSO
0.13
0.06
0.58
0.54
11
I have been without water, heating, electricity, or other basic necessities because there was not enough money.
FIN
0.01
0.61
0.33
0.36
12
Maintenance workers have condemned or threatened to condemn my home due to structural problems, poor maintenance, or other physical hazards associated with the building itself.
PHY
0.12
0.80
-0.08
0.27
13
I have stayed in a homeless shelter, church, other public place, or another person’s home because my home was not suitable to live in.
PHY
-0.15
0.99
-0.02
0.22
14
My family and I have been threatened with eviction.
PSYSO
-0.05
0.84
0.10
0.29
15
I have worried about how difficult it would be to move if I had to move suddenly.
PSYSO
0.23
-0.02
0.55
0.54
16
Relationships with family members end on bad terms.
PSYSO
0.31
0.30
0.30
0.44
17
Disagreements in my family often lead to violent actions (e.g., loud arguments and physical confrontations).
PSYSO
0.28
0.44
0.24
0.35
18
I avoid people living in my home as much as possible.
PSYSO
0.02
0.64
0.12
0.50
19
Two or more people in my family have chosen not to communicate with one another.
PSYSO
0.41
0.20
0.27
0.46
20
I encountered physical confrontations (i.e., fighting) in my home.
PSYSO
0.19
0.53
0.23
0.34
21
A family member or family friend moved away because they could not afford to stay in their home.
FIN
0.09
0.45
0.31
0.50
22
I have experienced a family member or family friend pass away before their time.
PSYSO
0.02
0.24
0.52
0.56
23
I have not felt as close to a family member or family friend because they are in jail.
PSYSO
0.01
0.74
0.10
0.37
24
Conflicts in my home make me feel disconnected from loved ones.
PSYSO
0.28
0.43
0.22
0.40
25
Financial stress has negatively impacted my family’s relationship.
FIN
0.22
-0.03
0.66
0.40
26
I have been concerned with my appearance because my clothing appears torn, tattered, patched, was received second-hand, or is one or more years old.
PSYSO
-0.11
0.49
0.60
0.31
27
I have gone hungry because there was not enough food to eat.
FIN
-0.07
0.54
0.47
0.38
28
I had to take advantage of available garbage bins, charities, soup kitchens, or free events in order to eat.
FIN
0.13
0.69
0.09
0.31
29
I have been forced to stay in a homeless shelter, church, other public place, or another person’s home.
FIN
0.01
0.74
0.08
0.39
30
I had to sacrifice or make tough decisions because of a lack of money.
FIN
0.03
0.18
0.67
0.40
Note: Bold = statistically significant (). Stressor types: PHY (physical), PSYSO (psychosocial), FIN (financial); Italicized = in final measure.
