--- title: Do girls with intellectual disability get different PMS symptoms? description: Girls with intellectual disability and those without had similar PMS symptoms, but girls with intellectual disability had more variation in when they started url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/age-at-menarche-and-premenstrual-syndrome-in-adolescent-girls-with-intellectual-2010/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do girls with intellectual disability get different PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2010 # Do girls with intellectual disability get different PMS symptoms? Girls with intellectual disability and those without had similar PMS symptoms, but girls with intellectual disability had more variation in when they started menstruating. This is a very small study of only 31 pairs, so we cannot be sure these findings apply more widely. Early or limited evidence 31 adolescent girls with intellectual disability and 31 without, aged 14-18, in Bosnia and Herzegovina ## What they did Researchers surveyed and interviewed 31 girls with intellectual disability and 31 girls without intellectual disability, all aged 14-18 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They asked each group about their age when menstruation began and what PMS symptoms they experienced. ## What they found Girls with intellectual disability showed greater variation in the age when they started menstruating compared to girls without intellectual disability. The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome were almost equally distributed in both groups. Many girls with intellectual disability lacked knowledge about menstruation. ## What it means for you Girls with intellectual disability experience similar PMS symptoms to other girls and need the same care and education. However, this study is very small (only 31 girls in each group) and from one country only, so we cannot be confident the findings apply more broadly. Girls with intellectual disability need better education about menstruation in schools. 31 Girls with intellectual disability 31 Girls without intellectual disability 14-18 Age range in years ## About the study Original title Age at menarche and premenstrual syndrome in adolescent girls with intellectual disability in Bosnia and Herzegovina Authors Ibralic I, Sinanovic O, Memisevic H Journal Research in developmental disabilities Year 2010 Study design Survey study Participants 31 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2010.02.004](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2010.02.004) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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, 2025 Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS? Cohort study, 2022 Does body size during childhood affect the risk of premenstrual disorders later? Systematic review, 2020 How common is PMS among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia? Randomised trial, 2004 Which low-dose birth control pill has better cycle control and fewer side effects? Survey study, 2026 Are menstrual characteristics linked to depression and anxiety in teenage girls? Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗