Mood and Affect

Use this section for concise language describing the client’s reported or observed emotional presentation during session.

Mood

Common mood descriptors may include:

• Euthymic
• Curious
• Anxious
• Apprehensive
• Dysphoric, depressed, or hopeless
• Angry or irritable
• Elevated or euphoric
• Sad or tearful
• Other clinically relevant mood observations

Affect

Affect may be described based on range, intensity, and fit with the session content.

Common affect descriptors may include:

• Full range
• Restricted
• Flat
• Tearful
• Congruent with mood
• Incongruent with mood
• Labile
• Appropriate to content

Example Documentation Language

• Client presented with euthymic mood and affect congruent with session content.
• Patient appeared anxious with restricted affect during discussion of current stressors.
• Client presented as sad and tearful, with affect appropriate to the topics discussed.
• Patient demonstrated irritable mood with affect congruent to reported frustration.
• Client presented with elevated mood and increased emotional expression during session.