---
title: Do difficult childhood experiences with parents cause PMDD? | Niyora
description: No. Women with PMDD reported no worse childhood parenting experiences than women without PMDD, suggesting PMDD comes from biology rather than childhood experi
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/women-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-do-not-recall-aberrant-parenting-2002/
---

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- Do difficult childhood experiences with parents cause PMDD?

Case-control study, 2002

# Do difficult childhood experiences with parents cause PMDD?

No. Women with PMDD reported no worse childhood parenting experiences than women without PMDD, suggesting PMDD comes from biology rather than childhood experiences.

 Early or limited evidence

34 women from South London with PMDD and 22 control women, all without other psychiatric disorders

## What they did

Case-control study comparing childhood parenting memories in 34 women with PMDD and 22 women without PMDD. All were from South London and free from other psychiatric disorders. They used a standard questionnaire called the Parental Bonding Instrument.

## What they found

Women with PMDD and controls had similar scores on parental warmth and parental overcontrol. PMDD was not associated with memories of lack of warmth or overcontrol in childhood.

## What it means for you

Poor childhood parenting is not a major risk factor for PMDD, unlike it is for depression. PMDD appears to be more biologically determined. This is one small study from one city, so the findings need confirmation.

34

women with PMDD

22

control women

## About the study

Original title Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder do not recall aberrant parenting Authors Critchlow DG, Bond AJ, Wingrove J Journal Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology Year 2002 Study design Case-control study What was tested None; genetic comparison study Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674820209074666](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674820209074666)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Cohort study, 2026

What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms?

Systematic review, 2026

How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together?

Systematic review, 2026

Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms?

Study, 2026

How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains?

Systematic review, 2026

Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle?

Systematic review, 2026

How much of PMDD treatment improvement comes from placebo effect?

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