Study, 1980
Do women with PMS have different personality traits than women without it?
Yes. Women with PMS show higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism, and more negative feelings about their bodies and sexuality than women without PMS.
What they did
Researchers interviewed 42 women and selected 25 who reported clear premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. They compared them to 23 women without premenstrual symptoms. All were given tests measuring anxiety, neuroticism, and attitudes toward their bodies and sexuality.
What they found
Women with PMS had significantly higher levels of trait anxiety and neuroticism. Women with PMS also had more negative attitudes toward their bodies, genitals, sex, and masturbation. Both groups held negative attitudes toward their first menstruation and menstruation in general.
What it means for you
Psychological factors like anxiety and negative body image may be associated with PMS. The study was small and only included women with clear symptoms, so we don't know if these feelings cause PMS or result from having it.
25
women with PMS
23
control women
About the study
- Original title
- The premenstrual syndrome. A psychological evaluation
- Authors
- Watts S, Dennerstein L, Horne DJ
- Journal
- Journal of affective disorders
- Year
- 1980
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 42
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(80)90027-0
Topics
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