Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the College Student Acute Stress Scale, a measure of acute stress specific to college students. Design and methods A total sample of 440 young adults from a university in the northeast United States were surveyed across three separate research studies. Exploratory principal component analysis, internal consistency reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and test-retest reliability analyses were performed. Findings Evidence of convergent and divergent validity were obtained, and adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability were identified. Practice implications This study provides evidence for the validity and reliability of a self-report measure of college students' acute stress experiences.