Parental Stress Scale (PSS) Test

Understand your parenting stress and satisfaction in about 3 minutes. With 16 quick items, it offers clear insights to guide support, reduce burnout risk, and strengthen family well being.

Start Online Test

Questions: 163 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

15754 views

1655 completions

1459 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

19/32

Parental Satisfaction (PS)

This scale measures how much positive emotion and contentment a parent experiences in their parenting role.

Low satisfaction

Moderate satisfaction

High satisfaction

8 – 16: Low satisfaction | 17 – 24: Moderate satisfaction | 25 – 32: High satisfaction

A score of 19 falls in the moderate satisfaction range, suggesting a generally positive but mixed level of enjoyment and contentment in parenting.

example score

24/32

Parental Stress (PS)

Measures the level of negative stress and emotional strain a parent experiences in relation to parenting responsibilities.

Low stress

Moderate stress

High stress

8 – 15: Low stress | 16 – 23: Moderate stress | 24 – 32: High stress

A score of 24 falls in the High stress range, suggesting pronounced parenting-related tension and feeling overwhelmed by day-to-day demands.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Overwhelmed new parents

41%OF USERS

Moms and dads with babies or toddlers who feel exhausted and want to understand whether their stress level is normal.

Parents in a rough patch

34%OF USERS

Caregivers facing tantrums, school issues, sleep problems, or family conflict who want a quick check of pressure versus enjoyment in parenting.

Parents in counseling or research

25%OF USERS

People working with psychologists, support groups, or studies who need a fast measure to track changes in parenting stress and satisfaction over time.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

Start Online Test

Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Parental Satisfaction (PS)

Average

22.5

Normal range

19 — 25.9

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Parental Stress (PS)

Average

21.1

Normal range

17.6 — 24.6

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Start Online Test

Featured On

Rated 4.8/5 by Our Customers

“Freudly really helped me discover parts of my personality I hadn’t noticed before. It strengthened the areas where I needed to grow and made me feel more grounded and confident in the parts that already worked well.”

— Emma C., US

“I wanted to understand how serious my ADHD is, and now I finally do. I also realized I need to work on my self-esteem. It has been low for a long time, and that makes daily life harder than it should be.”

— Mateo R., CA

“Reading each question felt like someone really understood me. Even though I’ve already dealt with much of this, reflecting still helped me learn something new about myself.”

— Caroline F., US

“The process is simple. The test covers everything you need, and you’ll get a clear breakdown of your results. For just a few dollars, it’s a great value.”

— Klara N., CZ

“I kept thinking there might be a small chance, but now I know for sure. The questions were easy to understand, and the whole process was straightforward.”

— Bruno M., BR

“I really enjoyed this experience. I learned a lot, and it helped me make sense of my thoughts and the feeling I’ve had for a long time that I may have grown up with undiagnosed ADHD.”

— Alice B., FR

“Great platform — the insights were genuinely meaningful!”

— Daniel W., DE

“Everything was easy to follow. The tools you get at the end are genuinely helpful for self-growth, and the price is very reasonable. I really appreciate that.”

— Sofia M., ES

“Surprisingly accurate — honestly didn’t expect it to nail things so well.”

— Adir B., IL

“There are lots of different tests to pick from, and the price is surprisingly low for how much insight you get.”

— Olivia W., CA

“I was pleasantly surprised when I read the results. It was as if someone had sorted out my messy thoughts and given me useful tips to help me speak with more confidence.”

— Grace O., IE

“It was really solid, very detailed, and it actually helped me make sense of a lot of things.”

— Carla T., TT

“I was really impressed with the report. It was clear, thoughtful, and it reflected things I’ve been noticing about myself.”

— Jade H., US

“The questions made me think deeply and helped me become more self-aware.”

— Brooke S., US

“Reading through most of the questions made me feel understood. Although I’ve already worked through some of these issues, the questions still gave me useful insights and helped me learn more about myself.”

— Ryan M., US

“I usually take one or two tests each month, and this has become a good way for me to see how I’m doing.”

— Lucas W., US

“Most of the time, my results are in the 90 to 98th percentile compared to others. It really makes me feel like there’s something unique about me.”

— Ethan C., US

“I tried out some of the AI’s suggestions, and to be honest, they worked much better than I thought they would. Maybe this thing really is smarter than me.”

— Reece D., AU

Trusted by 22k+ Users Worldwide

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this scale measure?

It screens for parenting-related stress and parenting satisfaction. It summarizes pressure from parenting demands and positive feelings about the parenting role.

Who can take this scale?

It is intended for adults who have caregiving responsibility for a child. It can be used with mothers, fathers, and other primary caregivers.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Completion time is about 3 minutes. The scale includes 16 items.

How should responses be selected?

Choose the option that best reflects typical feelings and experiences in recent parenting. Answer all items without spending too much time on any single question.

How are results interpreted?

Scores reflect overall parenting strain and overall satisfaction, which may be examined separately. Results support screening and progress monitoring and do not provide a diagnosis by themselves.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Parental Stress Scale (PSS) Test

motherhood parental stress

This brief self-report measure screens perceived strain and satisfaction associated with the parenting role. The Parental Stress Scale (PSS) is commonly used in clinical and research settings to inform case formulation and monitor change over time.

Developed by Richard R. Abidin, it consists of 16 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Items sample both stress-related and rewarding aspects of parenting, supporting an overall appraisal of parenting-related distress and positive engagement.

Scores on the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) are interpreted to identify elevated parenting stress and areas of relative satisfaction, which may guide further assessment, clinical discussion, and treatment planning when parenting demands are a relevant focus.

Author: Richard R. Abidin

Literature: Abidin, R. R. Parenting Stress Index: Professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources. 1995.; Deater-Deckard, K. Parenting stress. Yale University Press. 2004.; Berry, J. O., & Jones, W. H. The Parental Stress Scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 1995.

Test Question Form