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.
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
Topics
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