---
title: Do women with PMDD have other mental health conditions or personality traits?
description: Most women with PMDD (77%) had experienced other mood or anxiety disorders in their past, compared with only 17% of women without PMDD. Two-thirds of women wi
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mood-disorder-history-and-personality-assessment-in-premenstrual-dysphoric-2001/
---

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- Do women with PMDD have other mental health conditions or personality traits?

Survey study, 2001

# Do women with PMDD have other mental health conditions or personality traits?

Most women with PMDD (77%) had experienced other mood or anxiety disorders in their past, compared with only 17% of women without PMDD. Two-thirds of women with PMDD who had children experienced postpartum depression.

 Early or limited evidence

34 women with PMDD and 22 healthy women without severe premenstrual mood changes

## What they did

Researchers compared 34 women diagnosed with PMDD to 22 healthy women without severe premenstrual mood changes. They assessed mental health diagnoses and personality traits using standardized diagnostic tools.

## What they found

77% of the PMDD group had suffered from a past mood or anxiety disorder compared with 17% of the control group. Two-thirds of women with PMDD who had given birth experienced major depression after childbirth. Women with PMDD had significantly more obsessional personality traits than controls, but personality disorder diagnoses were rare in both groups.

## What it means for you

PMDD is strongly linked to other mood and anxiety disorders, especially depression both before and after childbirth. The sample is small (only 34 women with PMDD) and from one location, so these findings may not apply to all women with PMDD.

77%

PMDD group with past mood or anxiety disorder

17%

control group with past mood or anxiety disorder

two-thirds

women with PMDD (who had children) with postpartum depression

## About the study

Original title Mood disorder history and personality assessment in premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Critchlow DG, Bond AJ, Wingrove J Journal The Journal of clinical psychiatry Year 2001 Study design Survey study Participants 34 What was tested None. Observational study. Read the paper [doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v62n0905](https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v62n0905)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Borderline personality disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bpd/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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## Related studies

Study, 2026

What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Systematic review, 2022

Does having PMDD increase the risk of depression during pregnancy or after birth?

Interview study, 1991

Is premenstrual depression the same as depression from a mood disorder?

Systematic review, 2021

Are there hormone changes that could explain PMDD or depression in women?

Cohort study, 2024

Is PMS before pregnancy linked to postpartum depression?

Cohort study, 2023

Does the menstrual cycle affect how often women have suicidal thoughts?

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