J Nurs Acad Soc.  1988 Apr;18(1):80-93.

Premenstrual Syndrome and Personality

• Kim EZ

Abstract

This study was planned and carried out to investigate the correlation between premenstrual syndrome and personality in order to provide informations basic to the prevention, alleviation, and care for the premenstrual syndrome. Data on premenstrual syndrome were gat-herd from October 20 to 25, 1986 by questionnaire modified by the researcher based on Endicott's Premenstrual Assessment Form. Reliability of the instrument was tested by Cronbach's a. Data on personality were gathered in March, 1986, by the high school autorities by standardized Personality Inventory Scale developed by Eung Yun Hwang were used. Subjects numbered 457, 95.2% of the first grade students of H. Girls High School located in Seoul. The correlation and difference between personality traits and premenstrual syndrome analysed by Pearson' s Correlation Coefficient, and difference between groups were analysed by the t-test. Personality traits influencing premenstrual syndromal categories were analysed by the multiple regression. The results are as follows: I. The five highist categories of premenstrual syndrome among 18 categories revealed to be Social withdrawal, General discomfort, Lability, Fatigue and Hos tility /Anger in rank order. II. Personality traits and Premenstrual syndrome; 1. Tendency of Psychoneuroses(r=0.43, P<.001), psychoses(r=.39, P<.001) and anti-social behav-iors (r=o.43, P<.001) revealed to be significantly correlated to premenstrual syndrome. Hypothesis 1 is accepted. 2. Emotional stability(r= -0.38, p<.00l), reflectiveness (r= -0.14, p<.01), masculinity (r= -0.10, p<05) and autonomy (r= -0.12, p<.05) revealed significant correlation, While activity, dominance, sociability and achivement revealed no significant correlation. Hypothesis 2 is partially accepted. III. Significant models of personality traits influencing the premenstrual syndromal categories are; 1. 5 personality traits ; tendency of psychoneuroses, emotional stability, dominance, activity and autonomy revealed to influence Low mood/loss of pleasure significantly.(R2=.19) 2. 3 personality traits ; tendency of psychoneuroses, emotional stability and sociahility revealed to in fluence Lability significantly. (R2-.15) 3. 5 personality traits ; tendency of psychoneuroses, activity, emotional stability, sociability and achievement revealed to influence Anxiety significan-tly.(R2=.18) 4. 3 personality traits ; tendency of psychoneuroses, emotional stability and sociability revealed to influence Miscellaneous mood / behavior changes significantly.(R2=.18) 5. 3 personality traits ; tendency of psychoneuroses, psychoses and reflectiveness revealed to influence Hysteroid features significantly.(R2=.16) IV. No significant correlation between irregularity of menstruation and premenstrual syndrome was revealed. No significant difference beteen group of dysmenorrhea and group of non-dysmenorrhea in premenstrual syndrome was revealed.

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Emotions
Female
Humans
*Personality
Personality Inventory
Premenstrual Syndrome/*psychology