Study, 1990
How does the popular press describe premenstrual syndrome?
Magazine articles about PMS from 1980 to 1987 were mostly negative and confusing, reinforcing negative stereotypes about women rather than helping readers understand the condition.
What they did
Analyzed 78 magazine articles about PMS published between 1980 and 1987. Looked at how articles described symptoms and treatments, the language and tone used, article titles, and which types of magazines covered the topic.
What they found
Articles were generally negative in tone and showed strong bias toward reporting negative menstrual cycle changes. They presented a confusing mix of different symptoms and contradictory treatment advice. The coverage supported negative stereotypes about women with PMS.
What it means for you
If you read magazine articles about PMS, you are likely to encounter negative and confusing information that treats the condition as a character flaw rather than a medical issue. The study only examined articles from one time period and did not look at whether coverage changed over time or differed between magazines.
78
articles analyzed
1980-1987
years covered
About the study
- Original title
- The media construct a menstrual monster: a content analysis of PMS articles in the popular press
- Authors
- Chrisler JC, Levy KB
- Journal
- Women & health
- Year
- 1990
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- None - analysis of existing media coverage
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1300/j013v16n02_07
Topics
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