--- title: Can the PSST reliably diagnose PMDD? | Niyora description: Yes. PSST scores of 1.5 to 3 reliably identify women with PMDD, helping doctors recognize who needs immediate treatment instead of waiting. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cross-validation-of-the-arabic-mini-module-u-for-diagnosis-of-premenstrual-2020/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can the PSST reliably diagnose PMDD? Survey study, 2020 # Can the PSST reliably diagnose PMDD? Yes. PSST scores of 1.5 to 3 reliably identify women with PMDD, helping doctors recognize who needs immediate treatment instead of waiting. Early or limited evidence 194 Arab women in Doha, Qatar ## What they did Cross-sectional study. Researchers gave 194 Arab women two diagnostic questionnaires (MINI-U and PSST) independently, then used statistical analysis to compare which PSST scores matched MINI-U diagnoses of PMDD. ## What they found PSST scores for women diagnosed with PMDD ranged from 1.5 (not at all to mild) to 3 (moderate). Statistical analysis confirmed all PSST cutoff scores reliably identified PMDD. ## What it means for you The PSST is useful for quickly recognizing moderate and severe PMS and PMDD so women can get treatment faster. The study is limited because it was done in one country with Arab women, so results may vary elsewhere. 194 women tested 1.5 to 3 PSST score range for PMDD diagnosis ## About the study Original title Cross-validation of the Arabic MINI, Module U, for Diagnosis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and the Arabic Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool Authors Chamali R, Emam R, Mahfoud Z et al. Journal Research Square Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 194 What was tested None. This validated two diagnostic questionnaires. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.21203/rs.2.21669/v1](https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.2.21669/v1) Original abstract Abstract Background Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that affects the functioning and includes various physical, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Module U (MINI-U), assesses the diagnostic criteria for probable PMDD. The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) measures the severity of these symptoms and provides scores from which we can diagnose PMS and PMDD. The purpose of this study is to obtain the cut-offs from PSST that would fit well with the diagnosis of PMDD using the MINI-U as a gold standard. Methods We administered the Arabic MINI-U and PSST independently to Arab women (N = 194) in Doha, Qatar. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the PSST ordinal scores between those who answered Yes vs No on the corresponding MINI-U items. These comparisons were followed by Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses using the MINI-U answers as the gold standard to determine the cut-off scores on the PSST, in addition to their sensitivity and specificity measures Results The rating of PSST scores for participants who answered Yes in the MINI-U varied from 1.5 (not at all to mild) to 3 (moderate). Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses showed that all areas under the curves (AUCs) were significant with the cut-off scores on the corresponding PSST items. Conclusion This cross-validation gives reassurance that the severity measures of PSST can recognize patients with moderate/severe PMS and PMDD who would benefit from immediate treatment instead of waiting another two months. Keywords Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Arabs, cross-validation Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/) 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 What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together? Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Study, 2026 How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Systematic review, 2026 How much of PMDD treatment improvement comes from placebo effect? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗