---
title: What causes worse PMS in college women? | Niyora
description: Severe period pain, heavy periods, higher stress, and lower body esteem are linked to worse PMS. These factors together explain about one quarter of PMS sever
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-academic-stress-body-esteem-and-self-compassion-on-premenstrual-2024/
---

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- What causes worse PMS in college women?

Survey study, 2024

# What causes worse PMS in college women?

Severe period pain, heavy periods, higher stress, and lower body esteem are linked to worse PMS. These factors together explain about one quarter of PMS severity.

 Early or limited evidence

180 female college students at a university in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

## What they did

Researchers asked 180 female college students about their stress, body esteem, self-compassion, and PMS symptoms, then analyzed which factors were linked to worse PMS.

## What they found

Students with severe period pain, normal period pain, and heavy periods had worse PMS. Older students (age 24 or more), those with more stress, and those with lower body esteem also had worse PMS. These factors together explained 26% of PMS variation.

## What it means for you

Stress, how you feel about your body, and your period symptoms all matter for PMS in college women. However, other things not measured here also affect PMS. The study was only at one university in South Korea.

180

female college students

26%

of PMS severity explained by factors studied

24

years old - older age linked to worse PMS

## About the study

Original title Effect of Academic Stress, Body Esteem, and Self-Compassion on Premenstrual syndrome in Female College Students Authors Korea Safety Culture Society, Ji Won Yoon Journal Forum of Public Safety and Culture Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 180 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.52902/kjsc.2024.30.89](https://doi.org/10.52902/kjsc.2024.30.89)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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