Survey study, 2025
Is there a link between premenstrual syndrome and obsessive-compulsive symptoms?
Yes, 74.2% of young women had PMS and showed significantly higher obsessive-compulsive symptoms than those without PMS, particularly in rumination. The link suggests PMS and psychological symptoms are connected.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 552 female university students aged 18-24 using the PMS Scale and Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory questionnaires to assess associations between PMS and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
What they found
74.2% (410 women) reported PMS. PMS individuals had markedly higher obsessive-compulsive symptom scores than non-PMS individuals (p≤0.001). Most PMS dimensions except abdominal bloating and appetite changes showed associations with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, with rumination exhibiting the strongest positive correlation (p≤0.001).
What it means for you
PMS is very common in university students and is linked to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, particularly repetitive thinking patterns. The connection between PMS and mental health symptoms suggests addressing both may help. Study limited to one university.
74.2%
women with PMS
410
women with PMS among participants
20.22 years
mean age
About the study
- Original title
- A Study on Premenstrual Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Authors
- Nazan Kaymaz, Hülya Ertekin, Tolga Kasap et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 552
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.5336/jcog.2024-106101
Topics
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