---
title: Does childhood trauma cause worse PMS, and does dwelling on negative thoughts explain why?
description: Yes. Childhood trauma directly increases PMS severity, and rumination (dwelling on problems) partially explains this relationship.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/structural-equation-modeling-of-the-effect-of-childhood-trauma-on-premenstrual-2026/
---

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- Does childhood trauma cause worse PMS, and does dwelling on negative thoughts explain why?

Survey study, 2026

# Does childhood trauma cause worse PMS, and does dwelling on negative thoughts explain why?

Yes. Childhood trauma directly increases PMS severity, and rumination (dwelling on problems) partially explains this relationship.

 Early or limited evidence

384 high school girls in Saqqez, Iran

## What they did

384 high school girls in Iran completed questionnaires measuring childhood trauma, how much they ruminate or dwell on problems, and PMS symptoms.

## What they found

Childhood trauma had a direct effect on PMS (β=0.52) and increased rumination (β=0.48). Rumination then increased PMS (β=0.42). Rumination explained part of the link between trauma and PMS (indirect effect β=0.20).

## What it means for you

Both childhood trauma and rumination contribute to PMS in adolescent girls. Helping girls manage repetitive negative thinking might help reduce PMS symptoms. This study only included high school students from one Iranian city, so results may not apply to older women or other populations.

384

high school girls

0.52

direct effect of childhood trauma on PMS

0.42

effect of rumination on PMS

## About the study

Original title Structural equation modeling of the effect of childhood trauma on premenstrual syndrome: the mediating role of rumination in adolescent girls Authors Asadi H, Kivi HG, M A FS Journal Scientific reports Year 2026 Study design Survey study Participants 384 What was tested None - observational study. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-54186-9](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-54186-9)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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