As mentioned above, early stress research in psychology and sociology focused only on the health effects of acute changes in people’s lives (e.g., divorce, job loss, bereavement, child’s car accident). Researchers ignored other problems or demands that were recurrent or enduring, requiring individuals to readjust their behaviors over long periods of time. Such persistent or repeated demands were termed chronic strains or ongoing difficulties (Brown and Harris 1978; Pearlin et al. 1981). Examples included insufficient income to pay monthly bills, work-family conflict, caring for a disabled child or frail parent, troubled relationships with coworkers, and living in a dangerous neighborhood. To tap this domain of stressful experiences, Wheaton (1994) developed a 51-item inventory of common chronic strains. Traumas were an additional category of stressors that had been neglected in prior research. Traumas represent extreme threats to a person’s physical or psychological well-being. Examples include combat, natural disasters, sexual or physical assault or abuse, witnessing violence done to others, and parental death during childhood. A more complete assessment of individuals’ stressful life experiences would include not only negative events happening to them and their significant others, but would add ongoing strains and traumas that were experienced in childhood and adulthood.