Psychosocial considerations of the premenstrual syndrome

For many years a possible conjoint physical and psychological cyclicity among women has been discussed. To date there has been no biological explanation for psychological cyclicity. Attempts to treat negative psychological symptoms during the premenstrual phase by pharmacological means have not been significantly superior to placebo. The psychological viewpoint stresses that the repetitive confrontation with often conflicting material during the premenstrual phase must be seen in light of the development and integration of the personality. This process occurs by identification with the mother, and premenstrual symptoms can be seen as reflecting problems with feminine self-acceptance and self-esteem. The attributional explanation where women's negative but not positive moods are seen as biological could further affect women's self-esteem. Important scientific problems regarding the study of cyclical moods and behavior, the description of a baseline, the validity of self-reports and the soundness and validity of questionnaires often used, remain unsolved.