INDEX OF AFFECTIVE SUFFERING - LINKING A CLASSIFICATION OF DEPRESSED MOOD TO IMPAIRMENT IN ANALITY OF LIFE

The authors report on development and validation of their Index of Aff ective Suffering (IAS), an explicit measure of subjective symptom seve rity, constructed as a typological system, rather than a multifactoria l scoring system, with combinations of ''intensity'' (degrees of distr ess per given time) and ''extensity'' (duration and frequency of episo des, and number and variety of life events and activities that are per vaded by distress) item rankings. Seven levels of severity appeared to have both face value and empirical justification. Further conceptual and methodological advances would enhance the development and evaluati on of treatments for geriatric mental disorders and chronic diseases i n general.