---
title: Are premenstrual symptoms linked to how women experience their body?
description: Yes. Women with premenstrual symptoms tend to focus more on physical sensations in their body, and this may contribute to how severe their symptoms become.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptomatology-somatization-and-physical-anhedonia-2013/
---

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- Are premenstrual symptoms linked to how women experience their body?

Survey study, 2013

# Are premenstrual symptoms linked to how women experience their body?

Yes. Women with premenstrual symptoms tend to focus more on physical sensations in their body, and this may contribute to how severe their symptoms become.

 Early or limited evidence

105 psychology students in France aged 18-50

## What they did

105 psychology students in France aged 18-50 completed questionnaires about their premenstrual symptoms and how they experience physical sensations and pleasure in their body.

## What they found

Women with more premenstrual symptoms tended to focus more on physical sensations in their body. Both increased focus on physical sensations and changes in experiencing pleasure from physical activities were linked to premenstrual symptoms.

## What it means for you

Psychological factors related to how women experience their bodies may contribute to premenstrual symptoms alongside physical changes. However, this was a small study of psychology students in France only, so findings may not apply broadly.

105

women in France

20.98

average age in years

## About the study

Original title [Premenstrual symptomatology, somatization and physical anhedonia] Authors Bridou M, Aguerre C Journal L'Encephale Year 2013 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.encep.2012.08.003](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.encep.2012.08.003)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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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Non-randomised trial, 2008

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