--- title: Does a new questionnaire reliably measure both period and mood symptoms together? description: Yes, the MAC-PMSS correlates well with standard mood and symptom measures in women with mood disorders, though the study was small. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-dsm-5-based-tool-to-monitor-concurrent-mood-and-premenstrual-symptoms-the-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does a new questionnaire reliably measure both period and mood symptoms together? Cohort study, 2022 # Does a new questionnaire reliably measure both period and mood symptoms together? Yes, the MAC-PMSS correlates well with standard mood and symptom measures in women with mood disorders, though the study was small. Early or limited evidence 52 women ages 16-45 with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder ## What they did Researchers created MAC-PMSS, a new questionnaire to track period and mood symptoms together. They enrolled 52 women ages 16-45 with bipolar disorder or major depression. Women tracked symptoms daily for 2 months using MAC-PMSS and compared results with standard mood rating scales. ## What they found MAC-PMSS items matched the daily symptom tracker strongly (all p<0.001). The mood section correlated with depression measures (r=0.572, p<0.01), another depression scale (r=0.555, p<0.01), and mania measures (r=0.456, p<0.01). ## What it means for you MAC-PMSS reliably tracks period and mood symptoms together for women with depression or bipolar disorder. Main limitation: small sample with no control group for comparison. 52 women in study 2 months tracking period r=0.572 depression scale correlation ## About the study Original title A DSM-5-based tool to monitor concurrent mood and premenstrual symptoms: the McMaster Premenstrual and Mood Symptom Scale (MAC-PMSS) Authors Frey BN, Allega OR, Eltayebani M et al. Journal BMC women's health Year 2022 Study design Cohort study What was tested MAC-PMSS questionnaire for tracking symptoms Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01678-1](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01678-1) Original abstract Background: Despite high co-morbidity between premenstrual dysphoric disorder and mood disorders, there is a gap of research-based tools to monitor concurrent premenstrual and mood symptoms. In this study, we developed a new DSM-5-based questionnaire to prospectively monitor concurrent premenstrual and mood symptoms. Methods: Fifty-two females with bipolar or major depressive disorder, ages 16-45, were enrolled in the study. Participants completed two months of prospective symptom charting including the McMaster Premenstrual and Mood Symptom Scale (MAC-PMSS) and the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP). At the end of the prospective charting, participants also completed the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). The MAC-PMSS was correlated with the DRSP, MADRS, HDRS and YMRS. Results: All individual items of the MAC-PMSS correlated strongly with the individual DRSP scores (all p < 0.001). The mood section of the MAC-PMSS also significantly correlated with MADRS (r = 0.572; p < 0.01), HDRS (r = 0.555; p < 0.01) and YMRS scores (r = 0.456; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The MAC-PMSS is a reliable to tool to measure concurrent mood and premenstrual symptoms in women with mood disorders. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2026 How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together? Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Randomised trial, 2020 How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Case-control study, 2016 Do women with major depression or bipolar disorder experience more premenstrual symptoms than healthy women? Case report, 2013 Can severe mood changes around a period be an early sign of bipolar disorder? Study, 2010 Are women with PMDD more sensitive to how light affects sleep hormones? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗