--- title: Does noticing bodily changes cause PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Women who pay close attention to bodily sensations experienced mood changes with their cycle, while women who do not notice bodily cues showed no cycle effect url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-and-misattribution-a-self-perception-individual-2002/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does noticing bodily changes cause PMS symptoms? Review, 2002 # Does noticing bodily changes cause PMS symptoms? Women who pay close attention to bodily sensations experienced mood changes with their cycle, while women who do not notice bodily cues showed no cycle effects. Reminding cycle-aware women of their cycle stage prevented symptoms. Early or limited evidence Women tracked over 60 days ## What they did Two studies where researchers measured whether women notice bodily sensations and tracked mood changes across a 60-day menstrual cycle. ## What they found In Study 1, women responsive to bodily cues showed significant mood changes (both negative and positive) with their cycle over 60 days, while women unresponsive to bodily cues showed no consistent cycle effects. In Study 2, women whose moods were based on bodily cues rated their moods as less positive in their premenstrual week; women unresponsive to their bodies were unaffected by their cycle. A reminder of cycle-stage prevented PMS in the body-cue-responsive group. ## What it means for you PMS may partly result from how women interpret bodily sensations rather than just hormones. If you notice bodily changes, being aware of your cycle stage may actually worsen symptoms. The studies are small and limited to one theory about perception. 60 days study length ## About the study Original title Premenstrual Syndrome and Misattribution: A Self-Perception, Individual Differences Perspective Authors Simone Schnall, Adelpha Abrahamson, James D. Laird Journal Basic and Applied Social Psychology Year 2002 Study design Review What was tested Reminder of cycle stage Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1207/s15324834basp2403_4](https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324834basp2403_4) ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/) 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 Survey study, 2023 Is PMDD diagnosis associated with more severe depression and anxiety and lower well-being? Survey study, 2025 Do women with PMS sense their body signals differently from women without PMS? Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD among college girls, and what are their symptoms? Survey study, 2021 Does premenstrual tension syndrome affect how well a woman's family functions? Survey study, 2020 Can teaching about yoga techniques improve girls' knowledge about managing PMS? Survey study, 2020 What are the most common PMS symptoms and how much do they disrupt daily life? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗