Survey study, 1994
How do daily stress and ways of coping relate to menstrual symptoms?
Women who experience more frequent or severe daily stressors report more menstrual symptoms in all phases of their cycle. Using distancing as a coping strategy is associated with fewer premenstrual symptoms and less menstrual tension.
What they did
A survey of 167 female university students asked about their menstrual cycle symptoms, how they coped with stressors, and the frequency and severity of daily stressors in the past month.
What they found
The frequency and severity of daily stressors were positively related to menstrual cycle symptoms across all phases. Women who used distancing as a coping strategy (stepping back from stressors) reported fewer premenstrual symptoms. Distancing was also associated with lower menstrual tension symptoms.
What it means for you
Stress and stress management appear to influence menstrual symptoms. Women who use distancing (stepping back from stressors) report fewer premenstrual and menstrual tension symptoms. This suggests stress management might help reduce symptoms. The main limitation is this was a one-time survey of university students, so findings may not apply to all women.
167
female undergraduate psychology students
About the study
- Original title
- The relationship between daily hassles, ways of coping, and menstrual cycle symptomatology
- Authors
- Pamela Wu-Holt, John Boutte
- Journal
- International Journal of Stress Management
- Year
- 1994
- Study design
- Survey study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/bf01857610
Topics
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