Background: Exposure to minor stressors is related to a range of emotional
and behavioral problems in adolescents. The purpose of this study was
to develop a screening instrument for assessing adolescent stressors.
Method: The Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-14) was tested on
a sample of 561 adolescents aged between 12 and 18. We report validity
evidence based on its internal structure (confi rmatory factor analysis) and
on relationships between ASQ-14 scores and other variables (correlational
analysis), as well as an estimation of score reliability and differences
by sex and stage of adolescence. Results: CFA indicated a one-factor
structure with a total score representing a measure of cumulative minor
stressors. This structure showed an adequate fi t across all age groups
(early, middle, and late adolescence). Values of internal consistency (.85)
and test-retest reliability (.81) were also satisfactory. Validity evidence
based on relationships with other variables showed positive relations with
stress manifestations, anxiety, depression, and emotional and behavioral
problems, and a negative association with life satisfaction. Finally,
girls scored higher than boys, and stress scores increased across stages
of adolescence. Conclusions: These results support the psychometric
adequacy of the ASQ-14 and its use as a time-effi cient tool in educational,
clinical, and research studies.
