Survey study, 2026
Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents?
Yes. This study found clear relationships between self-injurious behavior and PMDD, and between adverse childhood experiences and PMDD in adolescent girls, suggesting both are risk factors.
What they did
Researchers recruited 303 adolescent girls from secondary schools in Nigeria using convenience sampling. They collected data with questionnaires about self-harm, PMDD symptoms, and childhood trauma experiences. They analyzed the relationships between these factors.
What they found
The study found a clear relationship between self-injurious behavior and PMDD and a clear relationship between adverse childhood experiences and PMDD. Both associations were found to be significant, suggesting self-harm and past trauma may both be linked to PMDD risk in teenagers.
What it means for you
The findings suggest that self-harm and past trauma may increase PMDD risk in teenage girls. However, the study measured everything at one point in time, so we cannot confirm that trauma causes PMDD. The findings are from one area of Nigeria and may not apply to all adolescents.
303
Adolescent girls studied
About the study
- Original title
- Self-Injurious Behavior and Adverse Childhood Experiences as Factors in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder among In-school Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Authors
- Juliet Ifeoma Nwufo
- Journal
- Psychology and Mental Health Care
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 303
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.31579/2637-8892/364
Topics
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