Psychoendocrinology of the menstrual cycle: I. Enjoyment of daily activities and moods.

Abstract

Thirty-three women participated in a study of the relationship between moods and enjoyment of activities during the menstrual cycle. All subjects had normal cycles and were screened for psychological health. None were taking oral contraceptives. Each subject filled out daily the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Social--Sexual Activities Log (SAAL). They also completed the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) once a month. The SSAL was developed as part of this research in order to provide a means of assessing subjective enjoyment of daily activities. SSAL items were developed from semistructural individual interviews and assessed behavior across eight different categories. Results suggest that the SSAL is a reliable self-report instrument. Although there were no changes in either moods or enjoyment of activities as a function of cycle phase with either the POMS or the SSAL, scores on the MDQ showed the usual cycle-related differences. These findings raise questions concerning the validity of retrospective methods in general, and of the MDQ in particular, as techniques for assessment of personal distress during the menstrual cycle. Equally important, the results suggest that when changes in psychological states are assessed concurrently during the menstrual cycle, the fluctuations observed in a healthy population are minimal.