---
title: Are psychological factors linked to menstrual symptoms? | Niyora
description: Psychological factors were linked to some menstrual symptoms like pain and mood changes, but not to others like water retention. The sample was small and the
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mmpi-correlates-of-menstrual-distress-1975/
---

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- Are psychological factors linked to menstrual symptoms?

Survey study, 1975

# Are psychological factors linked to menstrual symptoms?

Psychological factors were linked to some menstrual symptoms like pain and mood changes, but not to others like water retention. The sample was small and the study is from 1975.

 Early or limited evidence

60 undergraduate women

## What they did

Cross-sectional study. 60 undergraduate women completed the MMPI (a psychological test) and Moos' Menstrual Distress Questionnaire. Researchers looked at how psychology scores related to their menstrual and premenstrual symptom reports, controlling for baseline symptoms.

## What they found

Psychological variables correlated with premenstrual pain, negative affect, and menstrual behavior change, but not with water retention or arousal. The MMPI scales most involved were Sc, Hs, Hy, and Pt.

## What it means for you

This suggests mood and psychology may play a bigger role in some PMS symptoms like pain and mood than in others like bloating. However, the study is old and small, and we do not know if these patterns hold today.

60

women

4

MMPI scales most involved

## About the study

Original title MMPI correlates of menstrual distress Authors Gruba GH, Rohrbaugh M Journal Psychosomatic medicine Year 1975 Study design Survey study Participants 60 What was tested None. Measured relationship between psychology scores and existing symptoms. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197505000-00004](https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197505000-00004)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)

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