---
title: How does sample selection affect reported prevalence of premenstrual disorder?
description: Different subtypes of premenstrual disorder exist, but how common each type is depends heavily on whether women were seeking help for premenstrual problems or
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/frequency-of-reported-premenstrual-changes-in-normal-and-self-selected-1989/
---

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- How does sample selection affect reported prevalence of premenstrual disorder?

Survey study, 1989

# How does sample selection affect reported prevalence of premenstrual disorder?

Different subtypes of premenstrual disorder exist, but how common each type is depends heavily on whether women were seeking help for premenstrual problems or recruited from the general population.

 Early or limited evidence

60 women who sought evaluation for premenstrual difficulties

## What they did

Cross-sectional study of 60 women who sought evaluation for premenstrual difficulties. Each woman completed the Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF), which identifies subtypes of premenstrual disorder. Results were compared to normative data from previous research.

## What they found

The PAF identified different subtypes of premenstrual disorder. The study found that sample selection criteria (self-referred versus general population) significantly influenced the prevalence of PAF subtypes reported.

## What it means for you

When studies report how common premenstrual problems are, the results depend on whether women were recruited because they sought help versus being randomly selected. Self-referred women will show higher rates. The main limitation is reliance on retrospective reports rather than daily tracking.

60

Women self-referred for evaluation

1982

Year of normative comparison data

## About the study

Original title Frequency of reported premenstrual changes in normal and self-selected populations Authors Gerstein L, Reznikoff M, Severino SK et al. Journal Journal of clinical psychology Year 1989 Study design Survey study Participants 60 What was tested None; questionnaire assessment Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(198903)45:2 3.0.co;2-w](https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(198903)45:2 3.0.co;2-w)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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