--- title: Does asking about positive experiences change how women report premenstrual symptoms? description: Yes, when asked about both negative and positive experiences, women reported 62 to 64 percent less negative descriptions and mentioned positive experiences li url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/asking-the-right-questions-how-pms-question-phrasing-impacts-responses-in-an-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does asking about positive experiences change how women report premenstrual symptoms? Randomised trial, 2025 # Does asking about positive experiences change how women report premenstrual symptoms? Yes, when asked about both negative and positive experiences, women reported 62 to 64 percent less negative descriptions and mentioned positive experiences like increased sex drive and energy not mentioned otherwise. Moderate study design 2,637 English-speaking women using a period tracker app online ## What they did An online study recruited 2,637 women using a period tracker app and randomly assigned them to one of three groups: describe your premenstrual experience (control), describe negative and positive experiences, or positive and negative experiences. Researchers used computer text analysis to score the emotional tone of responses. ## What they found Control group responses were negatively skewed (mean -0.25). Women asked about both negative and positive experiences reported 64% and 62% less negative responses respectively. Positive themes including sex, libido, and energy emerged in the treatment groups but not in the control group. ## What it means for you How we ask about PMS affects what women report. Without prompting about positive experiences, women focus only on negative symptoms. This suggests the premenstrual phase may have more positive aspects than commonly reported. The study measured how people describe experiences, not actual physical symptoms. 2,637 women in study 64% less negative (first prompt) 62% less negative (second prompt) ## About the study Original title Asking the right questions: How PMS question phrasing impacts responses in an English speaking, online sample Authors Kountourides G, Alvergne A Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2025 Study design Randomised trial Participants 2,637 What was tested Different question phrasing about premenstrual experiences Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-025-01598-7](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-025-01598-7) Original abstract Purpose: The discourse around menstrual cycles is often pathologized, potentially reinforcing negative perceptions of menstruation. The extent to which individuals have internalized the idea that bodily and social experiences before menstruation are the manifestation of ill-health, thereby biasing reports of premenstrual experiences towards negative emotions, remains unclear. Methods: Using an online experimental design, we investigate whether phrasing the premenstrual experience as having both negative and positive dimensions would enable individuals to report more diverse and positive experiences than are reported in the absence of specific emotional prompts. Participants were recruited using a period tracker app and randomly allocated to one of three conditions: control (describe your premenstrual experience); treatment 1 (describe your negative and positive premenstrual experience); treatment 2 (describe your posititive and negative premenstrual experience). Sentiment analysis was used to derive polarity scores, and a two-part Bayesian model assessed the impact of phrasing order. Results: Among 2,637 participants, responses skewed negatively (mean -0.25). Compared to the control, treatment conditions 1 and 2 reported premenstrual experiences 64% and 62% less negative, respectively. Positive themes, notably 'sex, libido, and energy'emerged. The absence of positive prompts in questioning led to more negative and less diverse reports. Conclusions: These findings support existing literature on the predominance of negative premenstrual phases and underline the need to broaden measurements to encompass positive symptoms. The study also pioneers the use of text analysis for investigating premenstrual symptoms. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/) 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 Cohort study, 2026 Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do? Randomised trial, 2024 Can group counseling focused on positive psychology reduce PMS symptoms? Interview study, 2026 What do women and their partners think about a PMS tracking app? Systematic review, 2026 Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD? Case-control study, 2026 Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle? Case-control study, 2024 Are stomach symptoms worse before your period and linked to mood? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗