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Updated: Mar 18, 2026
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The Emotional Stroop Task: Assessing Cognitive Performance under Exposure to Emotional Content
Published on: June 29, 2016
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Emotional interference and attentional processing in premenstrual syndrome
Lisa Eggert1, Maria Kleinstäuber2, Wolfgang Hiller1
1Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Wallstr. 3, D-55122 Mainz, Germany.
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|July 13, 2016
Summary
Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) show altered emotional information processing, particularly with visual stimuli during the luteal phase. This suggests cognitive-emotional changes are linked to PMS etiology.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Women's Health
Background:
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) involves menstrual cycle-related affective, behavioral, and somatic symptoms.
- Previous research in affective disorders suggests altered emotional information processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate emotional information processing in women with PMS using the emotional Stroop task (EST).
- To determine if cognitive-emotional processing changes observed in affective disorders are also present in PMS.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 55 women with prospectively confirmed PMS and 55 controls.
- Administered three emotional Stroop tasks (EST) with word, picture, and facial stimuli.
- Collected data during follicular and luteal menstrual cycle phases.
Main Results:
- Women with PMS exhibited a greater emotional Stroop effect for picture and facial stimuli during the luteal phase compared to controls.
- No significant group differences were found for word stimuli.
- A paradoxical Stroop facilitation effect was observed for facial stimuli in the PMS group.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the association between altered cognitive-emotional processing and PMS.
- Further research should explore the interaction of cognitive-emotional processing with biological changes in the menstrual cycle for PMS etiology.
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