Survey study, 2026
Do childhood traumas affect how women cope with PMS?
Yes. Women who experienced childhood trauma reported worse ways of coping with PMS, and this was partly because of harmful beliefs about sexuality that developed from their trauma.
What they did
640 Turkish women aged 18-36 completed online questionnaires between March and November 2024 about their childhood trauma, beliefs about sexuality, and how they cope with PMS symptoms.
What they found
Women with higher childhood trauma scores used less communicative coping strategies for PMS and held stronger harmful beliefs about sexuality. The relationship between childhood trauma and poor coping with PMS was partly explained by these sexual beliefs. Women from large families and those experiencing economic hardship also more often held these harmful beliefs.
What it means for you
Early life trauma affects how women manage PMS in adulthood, partly through internalized beliefs about their bodies. This is a cross-sectional study, so we cannot prove that trauma causes these changes; other factors may be involved. Trauma-informed approaches to reproductive health care may help.
640
Women in study
18-36
Age range in years
About the study
- Original title
- The Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Coping With Premenstrual Syndrome and Sexual Myths
- Authors
- Aydoğan A, Bayri Bingöl F, Yildirim E et al.
- Journal
- Journal of interpersonal violence
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 640
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1177/08862605251412378
Topics
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