Do negative attitudes about menstruation and suggestibility predict worse PMS pain and distress?

Abstract Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is commonly seen among women of reproductive age and can be aggravated by emotional and physical symptoms. (PMS) has a wide variety of signs and symptoms tend to recur in a predictable pattern including fatigue, pain, mood swings, food cravings, tender breasts, irritability and depression. For most of women, the physical pain and psychological distress are severe enough to affect their daily lives. It has been observed that pain intensity and psychological distress can be affected by psychosocial variables such as catastrophizing, beliefs, coping skills, perceived social support, and learning about pain from important others. this investigation has aimed to assess Predictability of pain intensity and psychological distress by suggestibility and attitude to menstruation among Iranian population of women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 130 female students of Shahed university of Tehran between 20 to 35-year-old. The data were collected through the, MAQ, Numeric pain assessment, DASS-42, SHSS/C, SRQ, and Demographic form. Significant level was set at 0.05. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS-24 software. The analysis method was standard regression. Results: we had 130 female students of Shahed university of Tehran participated in investigation and their data was analyzed. Pearson correlation between total score of attitudes to menstruation and subscales of DASS-42 stress, anxiety and depression was respectively (0.778), (0.751) and (0.773). after that, correlation between pain intensity and total score of attitudes to menstruation was (0.732). moreover, results showed correlation between suggestibility score with subscales of DASS-42 stress, anxiety and depression was respectively (0.731), (0.733) and (0.8741). finally, data analysis demonstrated that correlation between suggestibility score with pain intensity was (0.735). about all of indexes, sig = 0.05. Conclusion: results showed that attitude to menstruation and suggestibility can predict significantly all three subscales of psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress), so do data analysis demonstrated that more negative attitude to menstruation can predict significantly pain intensity of menstruation among females. (sig=0.05)

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