---
title: Can measuring symptom severity help identify women who need treatment for PMS or PMDD?
description: Yes. A symptom severity tool correctly identified women with moderate to severe PMS or PMDD, showing higher scores than a diagnostic interview confirmed.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/dimensional-premenstrual-symptoms-screening-tool-vs-categorical-mini-diagnostic-2022/
---

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- Can measuring symptom severity help identify women who need treatment for PMS or PMDD?

Study, 2022

# Can measuring symptom severity help identify women who need treatment for PMS or PMDD?

Yes. A symptom severity tool correctly identified women with moderate to severe PMS or PMDD, showing higher scores than a diagnostic interview confirmed.

 Moderate study design

194 Arab women in Doha, Qatar

## What they did

194 Arab women in Qatar completed two assessments: a symptom severity tool (PSST) and a diagnostic interview (MINI-U) that assesses probable PMDD. Researchers compared how well the severity tool matched the diagnostic results.

## What they found

Women diagnosed with probable PMDD by the diagnostic interview had higher severity scores on the PSST. The severity tool had significant cutoff scores that accurately identified women with moderate to severe PMS or PMDD.

## What it means for you

Severity measurement can help identify women who need immediate treatment for PMS or PMDD. The study only included Arab women in one city in Qatar, so results may not apply to other groups.

194

Arab women studied

## About the study

Original title Dimensional (premenstrual symptoms screening tool) vs categorical (mini diagnostic interview, module U) for assessment of premenstrual disorders Authors Chamali R, Emam R, Mahfoud ZR et al. Journal World journal of psychiatry Year 2022 Study design Study Participants 194 What was tested None - this compared two assessment tools Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.603](https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.603)

## 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

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Systematic review, 2026

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