Survey study, 2002
Do girls' attitudes about menstruation affect what symptoms they expect?
Yes. Girls who view menstruation as negative expect more negative symptoms like cramps and mood swings. Girls who view it positively expect more positive experiences. Girls' expectations appear shaped by cultural attitudes rather than personal experience.
What they did
Cross-sectional survey of 750 girls in fifth and sixth grade, before their first period. Girls completed a checklist of perimenstrual changes they expected (20 negative and 10 positive) and answered a questionnaire about their attitudes toward menstruation.
What they found
Girls listed mostly negative expected perimenstrual changes. The most common expected changes were discomfort, cramps or abdominal pain, and mood swings. Regarding attitudes, girls scored highest on secrecy, followed by negative feelings, then positive feelings. Girls who saw menstruation as negative and felt it should be kept secret expected more negative changes. Girls who saw menstruation positively expected more positive changes.
What it means for you
Girls' expectations about menstruation are largely shaped by cultural messages that view it as negative or shameful. This may lead them to interpret normal cycle symptoms as serious problems. The messages children hear about menstruation appear to influence how they expect to experience it. The study was done in Mexico, so results may not reflect other cultural backgrounds.
750
Girls surveyed
20 and 10
Negative and positive changes listed
About the study
- Original title
- Premenarcheal Mexican girls' expectations concerning perimenstrual changes and menstrual attitudes
- Authors
- Marván ML, Espinosa-Hernández G, Vacio A
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2002
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 750
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/01674820209042790
Topics
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