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.
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