Stress is an important factor contributing to depressive illness that is increasingly common in society due to factors like family, work, and school. The document discusses developing a computerized tool to measure perceived stress. The goal is to create a tool that can be incorporated into clinical practice to better assess stress levels in individuals. Currently, the authors are studying stress and its effects on performance in medical students. They will identify the key dimensions of perceived stress and then develop a computer application to measure an individual's perception of stress.