---
title: What psychological and social factors affect how bad PMS symptoms are?
description: Poor coping strategies, perfectionism, depression history, and having children were linked to worse symptoms. Better partner support and healthier coping were
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/psychosocial-factors-associated-with-premenstrual-distress-2016/
---

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- What psychological and social factors affect how bad PMS symptoms are?

Survey study, 2016

# What psychological and social factors affect how bad PMS symptoms are?

Poor coping strategies, perfectionism, depression history, and having children were linked to worse symptoms. Better partner support and healthier coping were linked to better outcomes.

 Moderate study design

1,239 women and transgendered menstruators from an online survey

## What they did

Online survey of 1,239 women and transgendered menstruators. Participants answered questions about psychological factors like coping styles, perfectionism, depression history, partner support, and their level of premenstrual distress.

## What they found

Several psychosocial factors were linked to higher premenstrual distress: poor coping (adjusting energy, avoiding harm), self-silencing, perfectionism, depression history, and having children. Factors linked to lower distress were healthy coping (awareness and acceptance), good partner relationships, more partner support, and believing PMS has psychological and social causes, not just biological ones. These psychosocial factors explained 32% of the variation in premenstrual distress.

## What it means for you

How you cope, your relationship quality, and whether you have support all matter for PMS symptoms, not just biology alone. This suggests psychological support and coping strategies could help. This was an online survey with self-selected participants, which may not represent all women.

1,239

women and transgendered menstruators surveyed

32%

of symptoms explained by psychosocial factors

## About the study

Original title Psychosocial Factors Associated with Premenstrual Distress Authors Ina Rosvall, Sandra Ekholm Journal Women s Reproductive Health Year 2016 Study design Survey study Participants 1,239 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2016.1237715](https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2016.1237715)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Psychotherapy, counselling and education](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-psychotherapy/)

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.

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