Interview study, 2003

Is how 'feminine' a woman feels linked to how much she suffers from PMS?

The study found a statistically significant link between scoring higher on traditional femininity and reporting more premenstrual distress, but this kind of study cannot prove that one causes the other.

Early or limited evidence Women assessed with femininity and menstrual-distress questionnaires plus interviews (sample size and country not stated in the abstract)

What they did

Researchers combined a survey study and an interview study. They measured women's 'femininity' using a standard personality questionnaire (the Bem Sex Role Inventory) and their premenstrual symptoms using another standard questionnaire (the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire). They also analysed women's own descriptions of their premenstrual experiences.

What they found

Scores for traditional femininity were statistically significantly correlated with total premenstrual distress scores. In their own words, women described closely watching and monitoring their bodies before their period, and many described a 'PMS self' that felt like a separate identity from their 'real' or non-PMS self.

What it means for you

This suggests that cultural ideas about femininity may shape how women experience, interpret, and talk about premenstrual symptoms, not just biology alone. The abstract gives no sample size, no country, and no control group, so the findings are suggestive rather than proof, and may not apply to all women.

About the study

Original title: Constructions of femininity and experiences of menstrual distress
Authors: Cosgrove L, Riddle B
Journal: Women & health
Year: 2003
Study design: Interview study
What was tested: None; this was an observational study using questionnaires and interviews, not a treatment trial.
Read the paper: doi.org/10.1300/j013v38n03_04

Topics

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)Relationships and partners Stigma, attitudes and culture

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