UK adults of lower socioeconomic status report more overall life stress, but not more daily hassles: A daily diary study

Socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to psychological and behavioral outcomes like time discounting, trust, sense of control, and life satisfaction. This pre-registered study examines daily hassles—routine stressors in everyday life—as contributors to SES-related differences in stress, attitudes, decision-making, and well-being. 230 UK participants documented three negative events daily for one week, providing descriptions and subjective ratings. Text analysis using large language models supplemented these data. Despite higher overall stress among low-SES individuals, they did not experience more frequent or intense daily hassles than their high-SES counterparts. Instead, low-SES participants reported lower perceived control, more health-related stressors, and fewer work-related hassles. These findings challenge assumptions that heightened stress in low-SES groups stems from more frequent or severe routine stressors. By integrating subjective and computational analyses, this study highlights the nuanced relationship between SES and stress, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to addressing SES disparities in well-being and decision-making.