---
title: Can we measure how much premenstrual symptoms affect a woman's quality of life?
description: Yes. Researchers developed a brief 6-item survey that accurately identifies women with significant PMS or PMDD and measures its impact on daily life.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/development-and-validation-of-the-premenstrual-symptoms-impact-survey-pmsis-a-2008/
---

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- Can we measure how much premenstrual symptoms affect a woman's quality of life?

Survey study, 2008

# Can we measure how much premenstrual symptoms affect a woman's quality of life?

Yes. Researchers developed a brief 6-item survey that accurately identifies women with significant PMS or PMDD and measures its impact on daily life.

 Moderate study design

971 women aged 18-45 in the US with regular menstrual cycles, not pregnant, not on depression medications

## What they did

971 women aged 18-45 with regular periods completed an online survey with 68 questions about premenstrual symptoms and their impact. Researchers then reduced this to the 6 most important items and validated it against diagnostic criteria.

## What they found

The final 6-item survey identified approximately 6.0% of women as at risk for PMDD and 17.3% as at risk for clinically significant PMS. The survey score correctly separated women based on whether they met diagnostic criteria and based on their overall quality of life scores.

## What it means for you

This short survey is a practical tool for identifying women with significant PMS or PMDD and measuring how much it affects their life. The main limitation is that this was a one-time online survey, not daily tracking over time.

971

women surveyed

6.0%

identified as at risk for PMDD

17.3%

identified as at risk for clinically significant PMS

## About the study

Original title Development and validation of the Premenstrual Symptoms Impact Survey (PMSIS): a disease-specific quality of life assessment tool Authors Wallenstein GV, Blaisdell-Gross B, Gajria K et al. Journal Journal of women's health (2002) Year 2008 Study design Survey study Participants 971 What was tested 6-item Premenstrual Symptoms Impact Survey Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0377](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0377)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)

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

Survey study, 2022

What causes PMS and PMDD and what new treatments are being studied?

Survey study, 2020

What symptoms best predict whether PMDD will seriously affect daily life?

Systematic review, 2014

Do acupuncture and herbal medicine help PMS or PMDD symptoms?

Review, 2013

What treatments work best for PMDD?

Review, 2009

What causes PMDD and what are the treatment options?

Randomised trial, 2000

Does sertraline improve how women with PMDD feel and function?

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