We have determined the surface stress induced by the adsorption of sulfur, oxygen and carbon on Ni(100). As a result of a strong adsorbate-substrate interaction of these strongly chemisorbed systems, all adsorbates induce a considerable compressive surface stress on Ni(100). The c(2 x 2)-structures of sulfur, oxygen and carbon cause a surface stress of -6600 +/- 924 dyn/cm, -7500 +/- 1050 dyn/cm and -8500 +/- 1190 dyn/cm, respectively. The magnitude of the oxygen- and carbon-induced surface stress is in agreement with total-energy calculations, whereas the stress induced by sulfur is surprisingly high. Our results on C/Ni(100) support the concept of surface stress as the driving force for surface reconstruction.