Survey study, 1978
What beliefs do young people have about menstruation before and after it starts?
Young adolescents, even before their first period, believe menstruation brings physical discomfort, mood changes, and disrupted activities. These beliefs are largely negative and similar across pre-menarcheal girls, post-menarcheal girls, and boys.
What they did
Researchers asked 54 young adolescent girls (some before their first period, some after) and boys to fill out a questionnaire about their beliefs and expectations regarding menstruation, its effects on mood and daily activities, and where their information came from.
What they found
The vast majority expected menstruation to involve physical discomfort, increased emotions, and disrupted activities and social interactions. The three groups had remarkably similar negative views. Pre-menarcheal girls were somewhat less negative than post-menarcheal girls and boys. Young people expected symptoms to be worse for girls in general than for themselves.
What it means for you
Young people form strong negative expectations about menstruation from their social environment before they experience it directly. These beliefs likely shape how they later experience their own menstrual symptoms.
54
young adolescents surveyed
About the study
- Original title
- Young adolescents' beliefs concerning menstruation
- Authors
- Clarke AE, Ruble DN
- Journal
- Child development
- Year
- 1978
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 54
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.2307/1128615
Topics
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