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.
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
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
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