Case-control study, 1994
Do women with PMS respond to stress differently than other women?
Yes. Women with premenstrual dysphoria rate daily stressors as more stressful and seek social support more often than other women, especially before their period.
What they did
78 women answered daily questionnaires about stressors, coping strategies, and mood during their premenstrual and postmenstrual phases.
What they found
Women with premenstrual dysphoria reported stressors as more stressful and undesirable when premenstrual compared to postmenstrual. They used emotional release more often before their period and sought social support more often than other women.
What it means for you
How women with PMS experience and handle stress changes during their cycle. This suggests coping style varies by cycle phase. The study is small and relied on self-reported perceptions.
78
women studied
About the study
- Original title
- Psychosocial factors in premenstrual dysphoria: stressors, appraisal, and coping processes
- Authors
- Fontana AM, Palfai TG
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic research
- Year
- 1994
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(94)90053-1
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2023
Does stress cause women with PMDD to eat emotionally?
Cohort study, 2026
Does brain structure differ between women with PMDD and healthy controls?
Cohort study, 2001
Do women with PMDD handle stress hormones differently than women without it?
Study, 2026
What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
Survey study, 2026
What hormonal and psychological factors affect PMS symptoms?
Cohort study, 2025
Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD?