How common is premenstrual tension and does it affect university students' studies?

Background: Premenstrual tension (PMT) syndrome is an important condition that affects women's psychological, physical, and behavioral well-being, as well as their academic performance. This study investigates the association between premenstrual tension (PMT) symptom severity and academic performance among female university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over an 8-month from January to August 2025 among 273 female students of Islamic University, Bangladesh. A reliable, self-administered, bilingual questionnaire was developed based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria to collect the primary data. It was used to assess the prevalence and severity of psychological, behavioral, and physical symptoms as well as their impact on academic performance. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 25.0) and Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, and Matplotlib). The Chi-square test was used to examine the association between PMT and academic outcomes. Results: A total of 273 participants were selected from 976 eligible female students. The age of the participants ranged from 17 to ≥ 25 years, with a median age category of 23-24 years. The prevalence of premenstrual tension (PMT) symptoms was 65.2%, while 8.1% of participants met the criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Severe mood swings (39.6%) and irritability (37.0%) were identified as the most frequently reported symptoms. A statistically significant association was observed between PMT and academic performance indicators, including difficulty concentrating in class (69.6%, p = 0.013), negative impact on examination performance (64.4%, p = 0.012), and difficulty participating in extracurricular activities (60.0%, p = 0.009). Overall, 54.9% of the female university students reported that their academic performance was negatively affected by premenstrual symptoms. Conclusion: Our study revealed a high prevalence of premenstrual tension (PMT) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) among female university students, with severe psychological symptoms such as mood swings and irritability negatively affecting concentration, examination performance, and participation in extracurricular activities. The findings underscore the importance of raising awareness, implementing targeted mental health support, and providing appropriate interventions to improve academic performance and overall well-being.

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