--- title: How common are PMS symptoms in teenage girls, and do they get help for them? description: Most teenage girls in this study had mood and physical symptoms before their period that affected school and social life, but very few ever saw a doctor about url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-related-attitudes-and-symptoms-among-multi-racial-asian-adolescent-2011/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common are PMS symptoms in teenage girls, and do they get help for them? Survey study, 2011 # How common are PMS symptoms in teenage girls, and do they get help for them? Most teenage girls in this study had mood and physical symptoms before their period that affected school and social life, but very few ever saw a doctor about it. Early or limited evidence 1,092 multi-racial adolescent girls from 94 schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ## What they did Cross-sectional survey of 1,092 adolescent girls from 94 schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Girls filled in a self-administered questionnaire about their attitudes to menstruation and their PMS symptoms. ## What they found Average menstrual attitude score was 2.80 (SD ±1.88) out of 6. 80.7% reported at least one mood-related (affective) symptom and 83.6% reported at least one physical (somatic) symptom before their period. Irritability, mood swings and tension were the most common mood symptoms; fatigue and cramps were the most common physical ones. Symptoms affected class concentration, social life, friendships and school performance. Only 10.3% consulted a doctor, and about a third did nothing, with differences seen between ethnic groups. ## What it means for you PMS symptoms are widespread among teen girls and get in the way of daily life, but most girls don't seek medical help, suggesting a need for better menstrual health education. This was a one-time survey in one city, relied on self-reported memory of symptoms, and cannot show cause and effect. 80.7% Had mood symptoms before period 83.6% Had physical symptoms before period 10.3% Consulted a doctor for PMS ## About the study Original title Menstrual-related attitudes and symptoms among multi-racial Asian adolescent females Authors Wong LP, Khoo EM Journal International journal of behavioral medicine Year 2011 Study design Survey study Participants 1,092 What was tested None (observational survey, no treatment tested) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s12529-010-9091-z](https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-010-9091-z) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[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 Survey study, 2025 How much do period problems like painful periods and PMS affect college girls' daily lives? Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD among college girls, and what are their symptoms? Survey study, 2020 What are the most common PMS symptoms and how much do they disrupt daily life? Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Systematic review, 2025 Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS? Study, 2026 What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗