The development of a stress survey schedule for persons with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Weiss et al. (2001) built a new stress survey for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

They asked 138 parents and the teachers to rate 72 possible stress items.

Stats trimmed the list to 49 items that group into eight clear themes like change and sensory pain.

The final Stress Survey Schedule has eight factors that hang together well.

Both parents and teachers gave similar ratings, so the tool looks reliable across adults who know the client.

Bottini et al. (2025) copied the same recipe but aimed it at you, the ABA clinician. Their BADDS survey lists workplace stressors instead of client ones, proving the eight-factor model can travel.

Mantzalas et al. (2024) moved the lens again. They let autistic adults self-report burnout, showing clients can speak for themselves once thought unable to do so.

Kabiyea et al. (2019) add cultural spice. They found Bedouin fathers feel stress when stigma is high, hinting that you may need to fold family and cultural items into the schedule for some homes.

Use the eight-factor Stress Survey Schedule during intake. Ask parents or teachers to circle top stressors like "loud hand dryers" or "substitute teacher." Then write a plan that either avoids the trigger or teaches a coping skill before problem behavior starts. Five minutes of survey can save weeks of crisis intervention later.