--- title: How do cultural beliefs about menstruation affect adolescent girls' PMS experiences? description: Yes, cultural beliefs strongly influenced how girls experienced PMS, with cultural stigma and social pressure increasing stress, shame, and isolation. Social url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/exploring-adolescent-girls-experiences-of-premenstrual-syndrome-with-an-emphasis-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How do cultural beliefs about menstruation affect adolescent girls' PMS experiences? Interview study, 2025 # How do cultural beliefs about menstruation affect adolescent girls' PMS experiences? Yes, cultural beliefs strongly influenced how girls experienced PMS, with cultural stigma and social pressure increasing stress, shame, and isolation. Social support, education, and changing cultural attitudes can reduce these negative effects. Early or limited evidence 18 adolescent girls from middle and high schools ## What they did Researchers interviewed 18 adolescent girls from middle and high schools using semi-structured interviews. They analyzed the interviews to identify themes about PMS experiences, cultural beliefs, and attitudes toward menstruation. ## What they found Cultural taboos and silence around menstruation were common themes. Girls experienced negative consequences from cultural beliefs, including social pressure to hide symptoms, shame, self-blame, and isolation. Social support groups and media helped reduce stigma and improve experiences. ## What it means for you Negative cultural attitudes about PMS worsen symptoms by increasing stress and isolation, but social support and education can help. The main limitation is the small sample of 18 girls from one country, which may not represent all adolescent girls. 18 adolescent girls interviewed ## About the study Original title Exploring Adolescent Girls' Experiences of Premenstrual Syndrome with an Emphasis on Cultural Beliefs and Attitudes: A Qualitative Study Authors Hanna Asadi, Hossien Ghamari Kivi, Zahra Akhavi Samarien Journal Journal of Guilan University of Medical Sciences Year 2025 Study design Interview study Participants 18 What was tested None; exploratory study of lived experiences Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.32598/jgums.34.4.2392.1](https://doi.org/10.32598/jgums.34.4.2392.1) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) 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 Study, 2026 What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2025 What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2025 Does the premenstrual period explain why evening-type sleep patterns cause more sleep schedule mismatch? Survey study, 2015 What helps high school girls manage premenstrual symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important? Survey study, 2026 Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗