--- title: Can difficulty expressing emotions explain why childhood trauma increases PMS symptoms? description: Yes. Childhood trauma increases difficulty identifying and expressing emotions (called alexithymia), which in turn increases PMS symptoms. This pathway explai url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/exploring-the-role-of-alexithymia-in-the-relationship-between-childhood-trauma-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can difficulty expressing emotions explain why childhood trauma increases PMS symptoms? Cohort study, 2026 # Can difficulty expressing emotions explain why childhood trauma increases PMS symptoms? Yes. Childhood trauma increases difficulty identifying and expressing emotions (called alexithymia), which in turn increases PMS symptoms. This pathway explains part of the connection. Early or limited evidence 117 women (specific demographic details not provided in the abstract) ## What they did A survey of 117 women measured childhood trauma using a questionnaire, difficulty identifying and expressing emotions (alexithymia) using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and PMS symptoms using the Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire. Researchers tested whether emotion difficulty was a pathway linking trauma to PMS. ## What they found Childhood trauma predicted higher alexithymia scores (Beta 0.24, p equals 0.009). Alexithymia in turn predicted increased PMS symptoms (Beta 0.40, p less than 0.001). There was a significant indirect effect of childhood trauma on PMS through alexithymia (Beta 0.10, 95 percent CI 0.003 to 0.20). ## What it means for you Difficulty processing and expressing emotions may be one way that childhood trauma leads to worse PMS. Therapies that improve emotional awareness might help PMS, especially for women with trauma histories. The main limitation is this is a snapshot in time, not following women over years, so we cannot prove which comes first. 117 Women surveyed 0.24 Childhood trauma-to-emotion difficulty association 0.40 Emotion difficulty-to-PMS association ## About the study Original title Exploring the Role of Alexithymia in the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Premenstrual Syndrome Authors Savoca PW, Ditzer J, Zietlow AL et al. Journal Developmental psychobiology Year 2026 Study design Cohort study Participants 117 What was tested None (observational study) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/dev.70191](https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.70191) Original abstract Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common and often debilitating condition characterized by emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms that significantly impact well-being. Research suggests that childhood trauma is associated with heightened PMS symptoms, yet the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Alexithymia-a trait marked by difficulties in identifying and expressing emotions-may serve as a key psychological pathway linking childhood trauma to PMS, but this role for alexithymia has not yet been well characterized. Using cross-sectional data from N = 117 women, we assessed childhood trauma exposure (six-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20), and premenstrual symptoms (Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire). We used mediation analysis to test a proposed causal pathway between childhood trauma, alexithymia, and PMS that can be validated in future studies with longitudinal designs. Childhood trauma predicted higher alexithymia scores (Betas = 0.24, p = 0.009), which in turn predicted increased PMS symptoms (Betas = 0.40, p < 0.001). We further found evidence for a significant indirect effect of childhood trauma on PMS through alexithymia (Betas = 0.10, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [0.003, 0.20]). These findings highlight alexithymia as a critical factor in the link between childhood trauma and PMS, suggesting that difficulties in emotion processing may exacerbate premenstrual symptom severity. Addressing alexithymia in clinical interventions may improve PMS management, particularly in individuals with trauma histories. Future research should further investigate these associations longitudinally and assess targeted interventions for PMS that address alexithymia in individuals with a history of childhood trauma. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) 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 Systematic review, 2025 Is there a link between stress, trauma, and premenstrual symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Does childhood trauma cause worse PMS, and can social support help? Cohort study, 2025 Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD? Survey study, 2025 What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2021 Do women who experienced childhood maltreatment have more PMS? Survey study, 2026 Do girls who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have higher PMDD symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗