--- title: What factors predict which women will develop PMDD symptoms? | Niyora description: How much women ruminate or worry about their problems and having a specific type of period pain are linked to PMDD. Stress and drug use were not linked. The r url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/correlates-of-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-among-female-university-students-2020/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What factors predict which women will develop PMDD symptoms? Survey study, 2020 # What factors predict which women will develop PMDD symptoms? How much women ruminate or worry about their problems and having a specific type of period pain are linked to PMDD. Stress and drug use were not linked. The researchers were able to predict PMDD symptoms correctly 90% of the time using these factors. Moderate study design 1329 female university students in South Africa ## What they did Researchers surveyed 1329 female university students in South Africa using online questionnaires. They asked about menstrual symptoms, how often women had ruminating or worried thoughts, stress levels, and substance use. They then analyzed which factors were linked to PMDD symptoms. ## What they found 10.2% of the women screened positive for PMDD symptoms (135 out of 1329). The strongest predictors were congestive dysmenorrhea (a type of period pain with bloating), brooding, reflection, and worry. Surprisingly, perceived stress, drug use, use of oral contraceptives and spasmodic dysmenorrhea (sharp cramping period pain) were not significant predictors. The prediction model correctly identified 90% of women with PMDD symptoms. ## What it means for you This is a study in one country at one university, so results may not apply to other groups. The study found strong links between ruminating or worried thinking patterns and PMDD, suggesting this may be an important factor. However, the study cannot prove that rumination causes PMDD, only that they occur together. The lack of link to stress was surprising and warrants further research. 1329 women surveyed 135 (10.2%) had PMDD symptoms 90% prediction accuracy ## About the study Original title Correlates of premenstrual dysphoric disorder among female university students Authors Rizwana Roomaney, Ashley Lourens Journal Cogent Psychology Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 1,329 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2020.1823608](https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2020.1823608) Original abstract We investigated dysmenorrhea, rumination, substance use and perceived stress as predictors of PMDD among women. We used a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling to recruit participants at a university in South Africa. A total of 1329 female students participated in the study. Data was collected using an online survey. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, Premenstrual Screening Tool, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test, Adapted Ruminative Response Scale, Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Descriptive analysis, correlations and logistic regression analysis were conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A total of 135 participants screened positive for PMDD symptoms, indicating a prevalence rate of 10.2% for PMDD symptoms. The model predicted 90% of the cases correctly. Congestive dysmenorrhea, brooding, reflection and worry were identified as significant predictors of positive PMDD symptoms. Oral contraceptive use, spasmodic dysmenorrhea, perceived stress and drug use were not significant predictors. We recommend the development of a CBT based intervention targeting rumination in women with PMDD and education-based interventions regarding dysmenorrhea and PMDD among university students. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Cognitive behavioral therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-cbt/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Randomised trial, 2026 Which works better for PMDD: cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy? Survey study, 2023 What factors make PMS worse in college students? Survey study, 2019 How common are PMS and PMDD in adolescent girls, and how much do they affect daily life? Survey study, 2024 Does stress affect the menstrual cycle in college students? Survey study, 2023 What factors most influence PMS severity in college students? Survey study, 2020 How common is PMDD among female health science students in Ethiopia, and what is linked to it? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗