Measurement of mood and affect in cancer patients

Measurement instruments applicable to the assessment of affect and mood in cancer research are described, and their inherent advantages and sources of error are summarized. These instruments are comprised of three types: (1) self-report scales; (2) psychiatric rating scales; and (3) scales derived from the content analysis of verbal behavior, which are based on a combination of the self-report and rating scale methods. A review of the content analysis method is provided, including an illustration of its application to a verbal sample.