The PSS-10 determines how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded respondents find their lives. The scale also includes a number of direct queries about current levels of experienced stress. The PSS was designed for use in community samples with at least some high school education. The assessed items are general in nature rather than focusing on specific events or experiences.

Because levels of appraised stress are influenced by daily hassles, major events, and changes in coping resources, predictive validity of the PSS-10 falls off rapidly after four to eight weeks.