Survey study, 2016
Do women with PMDD have more difficulty regulating their emotions?
Yes. Women with PMDD and PMS had significantly more difficulty with emotional regulation compared to controls, especially those with psychological symptoms.
What they did
648 female college students completed two questionnaires: one screening for PMS and PMDD, and another measuring difficulty with emotion regulation. Researchers compared the groups.
What they found
25.6% met criteria for PMS and 9.9% for PMDD. Both PMS and PMDD groups showed significantly more emotion regulation problems than controls. Women with predominantly psychological or mixed symptoms had more emotion dysregulation than those with mainly physical symptoms.
What it means for you
Difficulty managing emotions may be connected to PMDD and PMS, especially when mood symptoms are present. This could lead to new treatments focused on emotion skills. However, this is only a college sample, so results may not apply to all women.
25.6%
met criteria for PMS
9.9%
met criteria for PMDD
648
total participants
About the study
- Original title
- Emotional regulation difficulties and premenstrual symptoms among Israeli students
- Authors
- Reuveni I, Dan R, Segman R et al.
- Journal
- Archives of women's mental health
- Year
- 2016
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 648
- What was tested
- None - observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0656-y
Topics
Related studies
Study, 2026
What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
Survey study, 2022
What factors make PMS mood swings worse?
Systematic review, 2025
How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?
Systematic review, 2021
Are there hormone changes that could explain PMDD or depression in women?
Survey study, 2026
How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk?
Review, 2026
How much do PMS and menstrual disorders affect women's work, school, and quality of life?