Dispelling Myths: A Study of PMS and Relationship Satisfaction
Abstract
For more than 50 years, professional literature has linked premenstrual tension (PMS) with psychoemotional symptoms, without addressing how women's roles and development may be related to PMS. This article's research examines aspects of a relationship that exemplify three reported psychoemotional concerns present in PMS women: marital-, sexual- and family-relationship satisfaction. Twenty-six PMS clients of a nurse practitioner and 26 non-PMS women completed three questionnaires about relationship satisfaction. Statistically, PMS subjects reported significantly more dissatisfaction with marital and sexual relationships. No effects linked to age were found. Results are explained within the context of women's development and roles, and implications are discussed for clinicians who provide health care to clients with PMS.
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Many women who report PMDs also report higher levels of relationship dissatisfaction or difficulties.
“Many women who report PMDs also report higher levels of relationship dissatisfaction or difficulties [26–31].”
In the present study, levels of relationship adjustment as measured by the DAS were in the normal range.
“Whilst previous research has reported that women who report PMDs also report higher levels of relationship dissatisfaction or difficulties [26–31], this was not found in the present study, where levels of relationship adjustment as measured by the DAS were in the normal range.”
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The prevalence, impairment, impact, and burden of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD)
Halbreich, U. M., Borenstein, J. E., Pearlstein, T., & Kahn, L. S. (2003) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/s0306-4530(03)00098-2 · Cited by 758 · see citing works
“Premenstrual impairment may be more severe at home, influencing marital relationships and homemaking, as compared to social and out-of-home occupational impairment (Brown et al., 1998; Frank et al., 1993; Hylan et al., 1999; Kuczmierczyk et al., 1992; Ryser and Feinauer, 1992; Winter et al., 1991).”
BackgroundHalbreich, U. M., Bäckström, T. C., Eriksson, E., O'Brien, S., Calil, H. M., Češková, E., Dennerstein, L., Douki, S., Freeman, E. W., Genazzani, A. R., et al. (2007) · Gynecological Endocrinology · doi:10.1080/09513590601167969 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Gonda, X., Telek, T., Juhász, G., Lazáry, J., Vargha, A., & Bagdy, G. (2008) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.07.016 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
“…distress and disturbing everyday functioning and interpersonal relationships (Freeman, 2003; Halbreich, 2004; Ransom and Moldenauer, 1998; Reid and Fretts, 1995) and associated with significant social and professional impairment (Johnson, 1987; Robinson and Swindle, 2000; Winter et al., 1991).”
BackgroundUssher, J. M. (2003) · Journal of Family Therapy · doi:10.1111/1467-6427.00257 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
“symptoms (Hamilton, 1988), with questionnaire studies reporting that women with ‘PMS’ have high levels of relationship dissatisfaction (Coughlin, 1990; Frank et al., 1993; Ryser and Feinauer, 1992; Winter et al., 1991; Wright, 1986).”
Ussher, J. M., & Perz, J. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0175068 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Ussher, J. M., Hunter, M., & Cariss, M. (2002) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.340 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
PMS as a Gendered Illness Linked to the Construction and Relational Experience of Hetero-Femininity
Ussher, J. M., & Perz, J. (2013) · Sex Roles · doi:10.1007/s11199-011-9977-5 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
“1986), including premenstrual distress (Coughlin 1990; Frank et al. 1993; Ryser and Feinauer 1992; Winter et al. 1991; Wright 1986), this provides further explanation for the lesbian-heterosexual differences found in our research.”
BackgroundResultInfluentialSchmelzer, K., Ditzen, B., Weise, C., Andersson, G., Hiller, W., & Kleinstäuber, M. (2014) · Health Care For Women International · doi:10.1080/07399332.2014.954701 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Ussher, J. M., & Perz, J. (2008) · Feminism & Psychology · doi:10.1177/0959353507084954 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
“…reporting an association between relationship strain and premenstrual symptomatology (Coughlin, 1990; Frank et al., 1993; Ryser and Feinauer, 1992; Winter et al., 1991), and direct expression of emotion is lower in families where women report PMS (Kuczmierczyka et al., 1992), which increases the…”
BackgroundWomen's experience of premenstrual syndrome: a case of silencing the self
Perz, J., & Ussher, J. M. (2006) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/02646830600973883 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“, 1991 ; Wright, 1986 ), as well as an association between effective communication between couples and lower levels of premenstrual distress (Schwartz, 2001 ; Smith‐Martinez, 1995 ; Welthagen, 1995 ).”
BackgroundSexual Satisfaction in Females with Premenstrual Symptoms
Nowosielski, K., Drosdzol-Cop, A. B., Skrzypulec, V., & Plinta, R. (2010) · The Journal of Sexual Medicine · doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01927.x · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Mooney‐Somers, J., Perz, J., & Ussher, J. M. (2008) · Women & Health · doi:10.1080/03630240802134134 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Ilhan, G. K., Atmaca, F. F. V., Eken, M. K., & Akyol, H. (2017) · Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy · doi:10.1080/0092623x.2017.1305030 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“Winter, Ashton, and Moore (1991) found that PMS subjects were more dissatisfied with marital and sexual relationships.”
BackgroundTaggart, T. C., Eaton, N. R., Keyes, K. M., Hammett, J. F., & Ulloa, E. C. (2018) · Neurology Psychiatry and Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.npbr.2018.10.004 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Chapter 20 Disruption of the Silenced Self: The Case of Premenstrual Syndrome
Ussher, J. M., & Perz, J. (2010) · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398090.003.0022 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Premenstrual Syndrome and Female Sexual Function
Conzatti, M., Maciel, R. F., Perez, A. V., Castro, D. H. D., Sbaraini, M., & Wender, M. C. O. (2020) · Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy · doi:10.1080/0092623x.2020.1856988 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder and sexual function: a narrative review
Susser, L., Parish, S. J., Dumas, E., & Nappi, R. E. (2023) · Sexual Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1093/sxmrev/qead007 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Gollapudi, M., Thomas, A., Yogarajah, A., Ospina, D., Daher, J. C., Rahman, A., Santistevan, L., Patel, R. V., Abraham, J., Oommen, S. G., et al. (2024) · Cureus · doi:10.7759/cureus.62788 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Results showed that women with PMS scored higher on all three surveys compared to non-PMS controls, although few cases reached scores above the cutoff value for clinical significance [68].”
ResultA THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR LATE LUTEAL PHASE BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES IN AN EVOLUTIONARY CONTEXT
Vieira, A. V. (2009) · PSYCHOLOGIA · doi:10.2117/psysoc.2009.110 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Systems and cycles: mother-daughter perceptions of interaction across the menstrual cycle
Robinson, K. M. (2012) · J. Willard Marriott Library · doi:10.26053/0h-1p68-rf00
- Authors
- Winter, E. J. S., Ashton, D. J., & Moore, D. L.
- Affiliations
- York College of Pennsylvania (US)
- Venue
- The Nurse Practitioner
- Published
- 1991-05
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 34???45
- ISSN
- 0361-1817 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2058325104
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Nurse Practitioner (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Menstrual Health and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- premenstrual syndrome, marital satisfaction, sexual relationship satisfaction, family relationship satisfaction, women's roles, women's development
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Family, Female, Humans, Marriage, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Premenstrual Syndrome, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Sexual Behavior, Stereotyping
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