The experience of dysmenorrhea and its relationship to personality variables

Abstract

The aims of this study were: to relate women's subjective experience of primary dysmenorrhea to psychogenic needs assessed longitudinally at the age of 15 and at the age of 25 in a nonclinical sample; to compare the psychogenic needs of women with severe primary dysmenorrhea with those of other women who never have experienced dysmenorrhea; and to examine whether women with severe dysmenorrhea were less conventionally feminine than women who never have experienced dysmenorrhea. At 25 years, 42% of the women experienced dysmenorrhea and 15% experienced pain that limited their daily activity. Differences in psychogenic needs according to the Cesarec Marke Personality Schedule and in psychological masculinity and femininity according to the Attitude Interest Schedule were found in women with severe primary dysmenorrhea compared with women who never experienced dysmenorrhea. The results indicate that women with severe dysmenorrhea have less self-esteem at 15 years, but compensate for this at 25 years by being more achievement-oriented and aggressive than women who never experienced dysmenorrhea. Further, women with severe dysmenorrhea are more conventionally feminine than women who never have experienced dysmenorrhea.