Study, 1989
Do women with anxiety report more premenstrual symptoms?
Women with anxiety reported more total symptoms before their period than women without anxiety, though both groups reported similar amounts of PMS overall. The difference was in their beliefs and attitudes rather than in the actual severity of symptoms.
What they did
Researchers compared 55 women being treated for anxiety with 40 women without anxiety treatment, all aged 19 to 42 years. They looked at their premenstrual symptoms and their beliefs about control and attitudes toward menstruation.
What they found
Both groups reported similar rates of PMS overall. However, women with anxiety reported experiencing more total symptoms before their period than women without anxiety. Women with anxiety also had different beliefs about control, thinking that other people or chance control their lives more than women without anxiety did.
What it means for you
Having anxiety does not necessarily mean worse PMS, but women with anxiety may report more symptoms. The real difference seems to be about how women think about control and their attitudes toward menstruation rather than the actual severity of symptoms. Limited by small sample size.
55
women receiving anxiety treatment
40
women without anxiety
19-42
age range of participants
About the study
- Original title
- The reporting of premenstrual symptoms and treatments—differences between anxiety patients and non-patients
- Authors
- Leonora Harding
- Journal
- Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
- Year
- 1989
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 55
- What was tested
- None - comparison between women with and without anxiety
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/02646838908403588
Topics
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