---
title: Do women with PMS have different personality traits than women without it?
description: Yes. Women with PMS show higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism, and more negative feelings about their bodies and sexuality than women without PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-premenstrual-syndrome-a-psychological-evaluation-1980/
---

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- Do women with PMS have different personality traits than women without it?

Study, 1980

# Do women with PMS have different personality traits than women without it?

Yes. Women with PMS show higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism, and more negative feelings about their bodies and sexuality than women without PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

25 women with PMS symptoms and 23 women without premenstrual symptoms

## What they did

Researchers interviewed 42 women and selected 25 who reported clear premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. They compared them to 23 women without premenstrual symptoms. All were given tests measuring anxiety, neuroticism, and attitudes toward their bodies and sexuality.

## What they found

Women with PMS had significantly higher levels of trait anxiety and neuroticism. Women with PMS also had more negative attitudes toward their bodies, genitals, sex, and masturbation. Both groups held negative attitudes toward their first menstruation and menstruation in general.

## What it means for you

Psychological factors like anxiety and negative body image may be associated with PMS. The study was small and only included women with clear symptoms, so we don't know if these feelings cause PMS or result from having it.

25

women with PMS

23

control women

## About the study

Original title The premenstrual syndrome. A psychological evaluation Authors Watts S, Dennerstein L, Horne DJ Journal Journal of affective disorders Year 1980 Study design Study Participants 42 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(80)90027-0](https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(80)90027-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)

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