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Survey study, 1992

Which coping strategies help reduce PMS symptoms?

Women with PMS who had more social support and structure in their lives had less severe symptoms. Women who monitored their stress more closely tended to have worse symptoms.

Early or limited evidence 54 women with PMS tracked in the study

What they did

Recruited 244 women with PMS, then tracked 54 of them for 3 months using menstrual diaries and a coping skills questionnaire.

What they found

More social support and life structure were linked to less severe PMS symptoms. Closely monitoring stress and sharing feelings with others were linked to more severe symptoms.

What it means for you

Having supportive relationships and routine in your life may genuinely help reduce PMS severity. The very small sample and the puzzling finding that stress monitoring was linked to worse symptoms means more research is needed. The stress finding may mean that women with more severe symptoms pay closer attention to their stress.

54

Women tracked for 3 months

244

Women initially volunteered

About the study

Original title
Coping resources of women with premenstrual syndrome
Authors
Warren CJ, Baker S
Journal
Archives of psychiatric nursing
Year
1992
Study design
Survey study
Participants
54

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