---
title: Is a simple 6-item symptom scale a reliable way to measure PMS?
description: Yes. A simple 6-item scale showed strong agreement with longer, established symptom measurement tools, suggesting it could work well in clinical practice.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-documentation-by-a-linear-analog-scale-compared-with-two-1986/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Is a simple 6-item symptom scale a reliable way to measure PMS?

Case-control study, 1986

# Is a simple 6-item symptom scale a reliable way to measure PMS?

Yes. A simple 6-item scale showed strong agreement with longer, established symptom measurement tools, suggesting it could work well in clinical practice.

 Moderate study design

140 women with suspected PMS, of which 73 were diagnosed with PMS

## What they did

140 women with suspected PMS completed three different symptom questionnaires over two menstrual cycles: a 6-item scale, a 36-item Self-Rating Scale, and a 35-item calendar tracking symptom severity. 73 were diagnosed with PMS based on clinical criteria and the longer scales.

## What they found

The 6-item scale scores were strongly correlated with both longer measurement tools. The simple scale accurately detected changes in symptom severity across the menstrual cycle.

## What it means for you

A 6-item scale could be practical for doctors to track PMS because it matches longer scales while taking less time to complete. This might make women more likely to actually fill it out during appointments. The study only tested this one simplified format.

6

items in the simplified scale

73

women diagnosed with PMS

140

women initially studied

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome: documentation by a linear analog scale compared with two descriptive scales Authors Casper RF, Powell AM Journal American journal of obstetrics and gynecology Year 1986 Study design Case-control study Participants 73 What was tested Evaluation of a simplified 6-item symptom scale Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(86)80040-0](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(86)80040-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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.

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗