---
title: How do relationships affect women's experience of PMS? | Niyora
description: A lot. Two women's stories show that having a supportive partner and viewing premenstrual changes as normal helped greatly. Without support, women felt their
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/pathology-or-source-of-power-the-construction-and-experience-of-premenstrual-2014/
---

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- How do relationships affect women's experience of PMS?

Survey study, 2014

# How do relationships affect women's experience of PMS?

A lot. Two women's stories show that having a supportive partner and viewing premenstrual changes as normal helped greatly. Without support, women felt their symptoms were a sign something was wrong with them.

 Early or limited evidence

Two women in long-term relationships

## What they did

Interviewed two women in depth about their premenstrual experience and how their partners reacted to their symptoms.

## What they found

One woman (Judith) felt out of control and angry premenstrually but had little partner support. She saw these changes as abnormal and distressing. Another woman (Sophia) felt energized and creative premenstrually and had a supportive partner. She viewed the changes as normal. Both experienced real changes, but support and perspective shaped how much they suffered.

## What it means for you

How much women struggle with PMS depends partly on whether they are supported and whether they view the changes as normal or pathological. The study was very small with only two women, so it is unclear how widely this applies.

2

women interviewed

1

woman with low partner support and distress

1

woman with supportive partner and acceptance

## About the study

Original title Pathology or source of power? The construction and experience of premenstrual syndrome within two contrasting cases Authors Jane Maria Ussher, Janette Perz, Emily M. May Journal Feminism & Psychology Year 2014 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/0959353514539650](https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353514539650)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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

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Cohort study, 2024

Do women with severe premenstrual disorders have higher risk of relationship breakup?

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Is there a link between sleep and menstrual problems in teenage girls?

Randomised trial, 2023

Does taking sertraline when PMDD symptoms start improve how well women function?

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