[Psychosocial risk factors for perimenopausal distress]

In the past 20 years a large number of studies have been made in order to investigate what is associated with the severity ofperimenopausal symptoms and large interindividual differences in their manifestation. Apart from studies of the biological determinants of perimenopausal symptoms, they have also examined the contribution of various psychosocial factors in their occurrence and severity. Although menopausal symptoms are primarily considered to be a result of the sometimes intense hormonal fluctuations that are experienced during perimenopause, this does not necessarily exclude the role of psychosocial factors such as demographic characteristics, cultural or ethnic background, attitudes toward menopause, specific lifestyles and habits, specific previous life experiences and personality traits. A review of recent research findings and contributions of these psychosocial factors in the development of perimenopausal symptoms engaged will be presented in this work. Studies have clearly shown that certain psychosocial factors contribute to the occurrence and severity of symptoms or increased risk for perimenopausal symptoms, including the risk for major disturbances, such as clinical depression.