The Measure of Current Status (MOCS) scale comes from research on the effects of a multi-modal cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention on the psychosocial well-being of breast cancer patients. An important question is whether the intervention's beneficial effects have several sources or one principle source. In order to probe for possible "active ingredients" behind the intervention’s effects, Carver developed a brief measure called the Measure of Current Status, or MOCS. The MOCS has two sections. Part A is items measuring participants' current self-perceived status on several skills that are targeted by the intervention: the ability to relax at will, recognize stress-inducing situations, restructure maladaptive thoughts, be assertive about needs, and choose appropriate coping responses as needed. Part B assesses potential "nonspecific effects" of the intervention: feelings of normalcy vs. alienation, sense of cohesiveness with other patients, perceptions of care from persons around them, and a sense of being better off than other cancer patients. All items were framed in such a way that they are sensible to participants in both conditions. Using these items, the author obtained evidence that the effects of the intervention are mediated by confidence about being able to relax at will (see article below by Antoni et al., 2006).