Journal of Affective Disorders 53 (1999) 269–273 Preliminary communication The measurement of premenstrual mood symptoms a, b c d e * Meir Steiner , David L. Streiner , Susanne Steinberg , Donna Stewart , Diana Carter , f g h Charlene Berger , Robert Reid , Douglas Grover a Departments of Psychiatry and Biomedical Sciences, St. Joseph’ s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8N 4A6 b Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada c Department of Psychiatry, St. Mary’ s Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QB, Canada d Department of Psychiatry, The Toronto Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada e Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada f Department of Psychiatry, Montreal General Hospital, Concordia University, Montreal, QB, Canada g Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Queen’ s University, Kingston, ON, Canada h Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada Received 18 August 1997; accepted 9 May 1998 Abstract Introduction: To aid in the diagnosis and management of premenstrual syndromes, dozens of symptom measurement instruments have been created and several methods for classifying clinically important change in symptoms have been defined. While the diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) has become standardized through the application of research criteria, consensus amongst investigators as to the instruments best able to confirm the diagnosis and measure treatment effects has yet to be reached. Objective: To determine the performance and inter-correlations of three prospective symptom rating scales used to establish severity of premenstrual mood symptoms and measure efficacy during a treatment trial for premenstrual dysphoria. Methods: Single item visual analogue scales (VASs) for irritability, tension, depression and mood swings were used in combination with the Premenstrual Tension Syndrome Observer (PMTS-O) and Self-Rating (PMTS-SR) scales to measure the severity of premenstrual mood symptoms at baseline and during treatment. Results: Premenstrual mood symptoms as measured byVASs significantly correlated with PMTS-0 and PMTS-SR scale scores (range 0.70 to 0.82, P , 0.001). All scales were sensitive to premenstrual symptom worsening (which is a required characteristic of this disorder) and revealed differences in effects of treatment on premenstrual mood symptoms ( P , 0.001). Conclusions: VASs in combination with the PMTS-O are low in burden to the client, reliable, valid and sensitive to change. In light of the current debates regarding instruments most appropriate for the classification and measurement of treatment effects in women diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoria, further refinement of these scales is warranted.  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder; Visual analogue scales; Premenstrual tension syndrome rating scales * Corresponding author. Tel.: 1 1 905 5221155 ext. 3605; fax: 1 1 905 5216098. E-mail address: mst@fhs.csu.mcmaster.ca (M. Steiner) 0165-0327 / 99 / $ – see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0165-0327(98)00121-9