Survey study, 2022
Does having meaning and purpose in life help women with PMS feel better?
Yes. Women with PMS who reported more meaning and purpose in life had lower PMS symptoms. Meaning and purpose explained about one-fifth of the difference in PMS between women.
What they did
Researchers surveyed 384 women in southeastern Turkey between March and September 2021. They asked about PMS symptoms and about whether their lives felt meaningful and purposeful using standardised questionnaires. They then analysed whether meaning and purpose predicted lower PMS.
What they found
Women's mean PMS score was 135.02. Women's mean meaning and purpose of life score was 46.77. Having more meaning and purpose showed a clear link with having lower PMS. Meaning and purpose explained 21.9% of the variation in PMS scores between women.
What it means for you
Meaning and purpose in life appear linked to lower PMS. The study shows correlation, not that meaning causes PMS to improve. It was done in one Turkish region, so findings might not apply elsewhere. Helping women find meaning could support PMS management, but more research is needed.
384
women surveyed
135.02
mean PMS symptom score
21.9%
of PMS variation explained by meaning and purpose in life
About the study
- Original title
- EXAMINATION OF MEANING AND PURPOSE OF LIFE IN WOMEN WITH PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME
- Authors
- Sidar Gül
- Journal
- İnönü Üniversitesi Sağlık Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksek Okulu Dergisi
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 384
- What was tested
- None; study examined the relationship between meaning and purpose in life and PMS symptoms.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.33715/inonusaglik.1160302
Original abstract
Women's coping behaviors with premenstrual syndrome symptoms can be affected by various factors. Among these factors, the meaning and purpose of life is an important health factor associated with reducing many negative health outcomes. This study was conducted to examine the life purpose and meaning-making tendencies of women with premenstrual syndrome. The sample of this descriptive-correlational study consisted of 384 participants. The study was conducted in March-September 2021 within a province located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The data were collected by using the Descriptive Questionnaire, the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, and the Meaning and Purpose of Life Scale. The mean Premenstrual Syndrome Scale scores of the participants were determined as 135.02±25.02 and the mean Scale of Meaning and Purpose of Life was 46.77±7.40. The effect of the meaning and purpose of life was found to be effective on decrease of premenstrual syndrome (p<0.001). The total meaning and purpose of life score explained 21.9% of the total variance in the dependent variable of premenstrual syndrome. In order to make the lives of women diagnosed with premenstrual syndrome more meaningful, it is recommended to organize multi-sectoral collaborative programs in which women's health nurses take an active role.
Reproduced under CC-BY.