Case-control study, 2020
Do negative thoughts affect mood more strongly in women with PMDD?
Yes. In women with PMDD, negative thoughts had stronger effects on later negative mood, especially in the late luteal phase. This suggests mindfulness-based approaches could help.
What they did
61 women with PMDD and 61 healthy women used smartphones to report their mood, rumination (dwelling on negative thoughts), and self-acceptance 8 times a day over 2 consecutive days in each of 4 menstrual cycle phases.
What they found
Women with PMDD showed more negative affect and rumination, and less positive affect and self-acceptance toward the end of the cycle. In PMDD women, rumination had stronger effects on later negative affect than in controls, most strongly in the late luteal phase.
What it means for you
In PMDD, negative thinking patterns may drive mood changes more than in healthy women. This suggests therapies targeting rumination and self-criticism, like mindfulness, could help. The main limitation is the short observation period of only 2 days per cycle phase.
61
women with PMDD
61
healthy comparison women
8
daily reports per day
About the study
- Original title
- Reciprocal effects between cognitive and affective states in women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: An Ecological Momentary Assessment study
- Authors
- Beddig T, Reinhard I, Ebner-Priemer U et al.
- Journal
- Behaviour research and therapy
- Year
- 2020
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 61
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103613
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2020
What symptoms best predict whether PMDD will seriously affect daily life?
Review, 2013
What treatments work best for PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2026
Which works better for PMDD: cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy?
Systematic review, 2026
Do digital tools and apps help reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms?
Survey study, 2026
Are PMS and PMDD the same condition or are they different?
Case-control study, 2024
Can short mindfulness or rumination exercises shift mood differently across the cycle in PMDD?