---
title: Does personality affect whether athletes develop PMS? | Niyora
description: Possibly. Certain personality traits were associated with PMS in athletes, including strong drive for performance, low need for help, and introversion.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/influence-of-personality-on-pre-menstrual-syndrome-in-athletes-2011/
---

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- Does personality affect whether athletes develop PMS?

Case-control study, 2011

# Does personality affect whether athletes develop PMS?

Possibly. Certain personality traits were associated with PMS in athletes, including strong drive for performance, low need for help, and introversion.

 Early or limited evidence

25 Brazilian female athletes aged 18-49.

## What they did

Case-control study of 25 Brazilian female athletes aged 18-49. PMS was assessed with a symptom diary and personality was measured using a personality inventory.

## What they found

Athletes with PMS showed a strong need for performance, low need for help, introversion, and very low need for change. Those without PMS showed strong need for denial and strong needs for help, dominance, and persistence. Low denial was significantly associated with PMS (p<.05).

## What it means for you

Certain personality traits might influence how intensely athletes react to menstrual cycle changes, potentially increasing PMS symptoms. However, this was a very small study in one country, limiting generalizability.

25

athletes studied

p<.05

significance of low denial and PMS association

## About the study

Original title Influence of personality on pre-menstrual syndrome in athletes Authors Gaion PA, Vieira LF Journal The Spanish journal of psychology Year 2011 Study design Case-control study Participants 25 What was tested Assessment only (no treatment). Read the paper [doi.org/10.5209/rev_sjop.2011.v14.n1.30](https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_sjop.2011.v14.n1.30)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/)

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.

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Does stress affect premenstrual symptoms in female athletes, and can coping strategies help?

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Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do?

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How common is PMS in adolescent female athletes?

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