Total of My “Life Change Units” of Events Over the Past Year, Research Paper Example

The score (275) is not accurate when it comes a person’s health. This is because life events include both positive and negative as well as events that are in one’s control and events which are out of one’s control in the same scale. This is also inaccurate since events that are negative and out of one’s control are much more predictive of stress and illness than are positive life changes. For example, retirement to someone may mean the end of a career while it may mean leisure and freedom time for another person.

Holmes-Rahe’s stress scale has been criticized mostly for its lack of accuracy and it is, therefore, not reliable in terms of evaluating health. First of all, most of the 43 life changes in the scale are not every day events. The scale is weak in certain areas, for example, some people feel that different cultural groups respond differently to various life events. The scale also assumes that each stressor affects people the same way, which is not inevitably true. For example, divorce to some people can be a relief or even be amicable.

In order to use Holmes-Rahe’s stress scale, a modified scale has to be developed for non-adults. Like to the adult scale, points of stress of life in the past year are compared to how stress affects health. The scale should also include common events like traffic jams, disappointments, losing things, weight and physical appearance among others.

These types of scale assessments, for example, Holmes-Rahe’s stress scale and Hassles Scale among others are not useful tools because scientifically it is impossible to precisely measure life stresses. These scales in one way or another have their own weaknesses, for example, they assume that each stressor affects people the same way; therefore, they are not suitable in terms of evaluating health.

Key events in the life course history of the Suarez family

• Death of a family member (Emma)
• Marital separation (Emma and Alejandro Padilla)
• Change in health of a family member (Emma’s father)
• Pregnancy (Emma)
• New family member (Maria)
• Change in the financial state
• Son leaving home
• End of school
• Change in living conditions

Events in the story of the Suarez family unfold over time and across multiple generations. A useful way to understand this relationship between time and human behavior is the life course perspective that looks at how chronological age, common life transitions, relationships, and social transition shape people’s lives from birth to death. A person’s character and the environment in which the person stays/lives also play a significant role in how events in each generation affect the next generation.

Emma was a strong and hardworking lady. From her days in public school and City College, she was often at the top of her class. She loved learning and wanted to become a teacher so as to pass on that love to other students. Before her death, she was working at the World Trade Center and struggled to assist Maria and Carlos. If Emma had survived the attack, events such as change in living conditions, change in the financial state, change in health of family members and maybe marital separation would have been totally different and take a positive path in the Suarez family.