Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Reactions to Somatic Stress Questionnaire (RSSQ)

Abstract. Background: Stress is a ubiquitous phenomenon in modern societies and is often accompanied by somatic sensations and symptoms, such as tension and nausea. Despite the inherent somatic component of stress, research on coping with stress has previously neglected to consider how somatic stress responses (i.e., somatic stress) may affect stress-coping behavior. Aim: To address this gap in the literature, this study introduces the concept of reactions to somatic stress (RSS). It also provides the first psychometric evaluation of the Reactions to Somatic Stress Questionnaire (RSSQ), a novel 16-item questionnaire that assesses hampering and facilitating RSS. Method: The RSSQ and a battery of questionnaires on related constructs were administered via an online survey to N = 265 participants from the general population. Results: Exploratory ( n = 133) and confirmatory ( n = 132) factor analyses yielded two dimensions of the RSSQ: Hampering RSS (RSS-H) and facilitating RSS (RSS-F). Both subscales showed good internal consistency (α = .81–.89). Correlations with body awareness, emotion regulation skills, and beliefs about stress indicated medium to high convergent and discriminant validity. The RSS-H and RSS-F scores significantly predicted maladaptive and adaptive coping behavior, respectively. This association remained stable after controlling for subjective stress and related measures. Limitations: Generalization of the obtained results is limited to healthy individuals. Conclusion: The study supports the theoretical assumptions underlying the RSS concept. The RSSQ suggests a promising way to assess reactions to somatic stress as they relate to coping with stress. The RSSQ could be used for clinical and health psychological testing or interdisciplinary research.