Psychological and stress backgrounds of forming of premenstrual syndrome

Abstract

The objective: of this study was to assess the type of temperament and stress load in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Materials and methods. The research included 200 women with diagnosis of PMS who formed basic group. The control group consisted of 50 women without PMS. The type of temperament was determined by Eysenck’s Personality Inventory test. Level of psychoemotional stress was assessed by L. Reeder’s scale. Results. Sanguines predominated among healthy individuals. While among patients with PMS more than a third part was melancholic (χ2=10.01; p=0.002) and choleric persons (χ2=4.19; p=0.04) both, number of sanguines was in 3.20 times less compared to healthy persons (χ2=29.44; p<0.001). The score of neuroticism in women in basic group was significantly higher on 17.03% compared to controls (p=0.002). The highest rate was found in patients with the severe course of the disease – on 27.50% (p<0.001). The average score of psychoemotional stress in women in control group was on 10.81% higher (p=0.01) than in patients in basic one. That is mean the greater level of stress in individuals with PMS. Conclusion. The following types of temperament as melancholic and choleric predominate among women with PMS (p<0.05). The level of neuroticism is significantly increased in patients with PMS (p=0.002). High level of psycho-emotional stress, which correlated with the severity of the disease is typical for this pathology (p<0.05). The greatest indicators of stress factor were found in patients with neuropsychical, cephalic and crisis forms of PMS. Key words: premenstrual syndrome, temperament, stress level.