A brief instrument for longitudinal monitoring of mood states.
We describe the development of a practical instrument for longitudinal assessment of affective symptoms in large samples. An 11-item questionnaire was completed twice daily by normal and affectively disordered subjects for 90 days to determine which subjective states to measure; and to compare the 100 mm visual analogue format with a segmented visual analogue format on morning and evening ratings. The final instrument consists of three bipolar ratings--mood, anxiety, and energy levels--on a segmented visual analogue format, plus hours of sleep. It is administered once a day, in the morning. The instrument has high subject and rating compliance for studying infradian cycles.
D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010507:Periodicity; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales