A Comparison of the Psychological and Hormonal Factors in Women With and Without Premenstrual Syndrome

• Published in: Journal of abnormal psychology (1965) Vol. 97; no. 4; pp. 429 - 436
• Main Authors: Trunnell, Eric P, Turner, Charles W, Keye, William R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-11-1988
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Depression (Emotion); Estradiol; Female; Human; Humans; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Personality Traits; Premenstrual Syndrome; Premenstrual Syndrome - blood; Premenstrual Syndrome - psychology; Progesterone; Progesterone - blood; Psychological Tests; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social research; Techniques and methods; Women; Human; Mood disorder; Menstrual cycle; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; Depression; Premenstrual syndrome; Woman; Ovarian hormone; Personality disorder
• ISSN: 0021-843X; 2769-7541; 1939-1846; 2769-755X
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-843X.97.4.429

Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS;
n
= 14) were compared
with women without premenstrual syndrome (
n
= 14). The
diagnosis was based on the volunteers' responses to the Premenstrual Assessment
Form, their medical history, a physical examination, and the Utah PMS Calendar.
After assignment to the non-PMS or PMS group, each subject was studied for one
menstrual cycle and was evaluated, once during the follicular phase and twice
during the luteal phase. On each of these occasions, circulating concentrations
of estradiol and progesterone were determined, and the Depression Adjective
Checklist (DACL), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and
the Attributional Style Questionnaire were completed. Each subject recorded
daily her physical symptoms on the Utah PMS Calendar. During the luteal phase,
women with PMS had significantly higher levels of depression as measured by the
DACL and MMPI than women without PMS. The two groups did not differ in the
follicular phase. The women with PMS reported significantly more physical
symptoms on the Utah PMS Calendar during the luteal phase, but reported no
significant differences in symptoms during the follicular phase. These findings
suggest a luteal phase disorder superimposed on a background free of psychiatric
or physiological illness.