---
title: Can psychological tests help identify who has premenstrual complaints?
description: Yes. The study found clear and substantial differences in test scores between women with and without premenstrual complaints.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/comparison-of-paf-scores-in-women-with-symptomatic-premenstrual-complaint-1990/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Can psychological tests help identify who has premenstrual complaints?

Survey study, 1990

# Can psychological tests help identify who has premenstrual complaints?

Yes. The study found clear and substantial differences in test scores between women with and without premenstrual complaints.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with and without premenstrual complaints, some with mood disorders

## What they did

Measured psychological test scores in women with premenstrual complaints, women without complaints, and women without complaints who also had mood disorders.

## What they found

Clear and substantial differences in test scores were observed among the groups.

## What it means for you

Psychological tests might help identify premenstrual complaints. The main limitation is that this was a one-time measurement, so we can't know if it would work to predict who has symptoms over time.

## About the study

Original title Comparison of PAF scores in women with symptomatic premenstrual complaint, patients with affective disorders and non-complaining controls Authors C. E. Cumming, E. E. Fox, David C. Cumming Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1990 Study design Survey study Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674829009084424](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674829009084424)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

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

Review, 2024

What is premenstrual exacerbation and how does it affect different psychiatric illnesses?

Cohort study, 2023

Are PMS symptoms linked to genetic factors for psychiatric disorders?

Systematic review, 2022

Do mental health disorders get worse during the menstrual cycle?

Review, 2002

What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD?

Review, 1989

Are mental health conditions linked to the reproductive cycle?

Study, 2026

Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗