---
title: How do women with premenstrual tension differ psychologically?
description: Women with premenstrual tension have lower self-esteem, more negative attitudes to menstruation, and feel less control over their lives than women without it.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-tension-and-female-role-1983/
---

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- How do women with premenstrual tension differ psychologically?

Survey study, 1983

# How do women with premenstrual tension differ psychologically?

Women with premenstrual tension have lower self-esteem, more negative attitudes to menstruation, and feel less control over their lives than women without it.

 Early or limited evidence

85 women: those with premenstrual tension, those with sexual dysfunction, and those with neither

## What they did

Cross-sectional study of 85 women in 3 groups: those with premenstrual tension, those with sexual dysfunction, and a control group. Researchers assessed self-esteem, attitudes to menstruation, sense of control over life, and other psychological factors through questionnaires.

## What they found

Women with premenstrual tension had lower self-esteem, more negative attitudes to menstruation, and a stronger feeling of helplessness about life events. Women with traits society codes as masculine reported higher self-esteem and stronger sense of control over their lives.

## What it means for you

Psychological factors like low self-esteem and feeling out of control may be connected to premenstrual tension, but this study cannot show whether they cause it, result from it, or are unrelated. The main limitation is that it is observational and small.

85

women studied in 3 groups

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual tension and female role Authors C. Spencer-Gardner, Lorraine Dennerstein, G. D. Burrows Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1983 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674828309081252](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674828309081252)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Libido and sexual function](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sexual-function/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)

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