Conservative attitudes and reactions to menstruation.

Abstract

As a part of a research project on the emotional and somatic consequences of the menstrual cycle, which has been reported elsewhere (Schneider-Diiker, 1973), some material was collected which demonstrates the influence of social and socio-psychological factors on the reactions to menstruation. In this note some preliminary results are presented on the relation between conservative attitudes and measures of menstrual complaints. In a pilot study done by Ullrich (1973) a German version of the Wilson-Patterson Conservatism Scale (Wilson, 1973) was given to 48 female Ss together with a questionnaire asking for information about menstrual concomitants. All but two Ss were students of the University of the Saar. Their mean age was 23 yr. (range 19 yr. to 31 yr.). The degree of menstrual impairment war estimated by using 10 statements describing somatic, emotional, and behavioral reactions to menstruation. A significant product-moment correlation of .31 ( p < .05) was observed between the conservatism scores and the number of menstrual complaints. In another study (Schneider-Diiker, 1973) concerning the influence of the menstrual cycle on performance, an extended version of the menstrual complaints questionnaire, the above mentioned conservatism scale, and a scale measuring the attitude toward menstruation were administered to 1 2 women from a non-student population. These women aged between 25 and 39 yr. From the 30 items of the menstrual complaints questionnaire two summed scores were computed for each S: 2 2 statements concerning somatic and psychic complaints, e.g., abdominal pain, irritation, formed one component; 8 statements describing chosen behavioral acts or consequences like 'If I can arrange i t I spend some time in bed during the menses' were put together as a further measure. Spearman rank correlations were computed. A significant rho of ,709 ( p < .05) was found between conservatism and behavioral consequences of menstruation while the relation between conservatism and the measure of somatic and ~sychic complaints did not reach significance (fa = ,337). Furthermore, attitude toward menstruation neither correlated with somatic and psychic menstrual complaints ( r . = .117) nor showed any significant relation to behavioral consequences (r. = -.061) and the conservatism scores (r. = ,022 ) . These values suggest that, if there is a true relation between social attitude and reactions to menstruation, conservative attitudes do not so much influence the somatic and psychic experience of the menses but determine to a certain degree the way of handling possible somatic and psychic consequences. Women who during their periods depend on or demand a more indulgent trearment from their social environment, receive higher scores on the conservatism scale.