Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The menstrual distress questionnaire: Are the critics right?

  • Articles
  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) is the most widely used method of assessing premenstrual symptomatology. It is also the most frequently criticized instrument in this field. A review of the criticisms made toward the MDQ revealed three major issues concerning the reliability and validity of this instrument and the sample from whom normative data were gathered. These issues were examined in light of 49 studies that used this instrument between 1968 and 1990. Many of the criticisms were found to be justified. A marked lack of adequate research into the MDQ’s reliability, problems associated with the normative sample, and uncertain validity were found. In particular, the MDQ appears to measure constructs unrelated to the menstrual cycle and define premenstrual syndrome inaccurately. In addition, the factor structure of this instrument may be unstable. These conclusions were tempered with the knowledge that the MDQ has not been utilized to its full potential in most of the research conducted to date.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Khalek, A.M. (1983). The Menstrual Distress Questionnaire: An exposition and Egyptian study.Research in Behaviour and Personality, 3, 13–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abplanalp, J.M., Donnelly, A.F., & Rose, R.M. (1979). Psychoendocrinology of the menstrual cycle: Enjoyment of daily activities and moods.Psychosomatic Medicine, 41(7), 587–604.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ainscough, C.E. (1990). Premenstrual emotional changes a prospective study of symptomatology in normal women.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 34(1), 35–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (rev. 3rd ed.) Washington, DC: APA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Badamy, Y., Kamel, N., Abel-Khalek, A., & Gaafer, M. (1983). The relationship between personality and premenstrual syndrome.Research in Behaviour and Personality, 3, 59–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatt, M., Wiesbader, H.L., & Kipperman, H. (1953). Vitamin E and Climateric Syndrome: Archives of Internal Medicine, 9:792.

  • Brooks, J., Ruble, D.N., & Clarke, A.E. (1979). College women’s attitudes and expectations concerning menstrual-related changes.Psychsomatic Medicine, 39, 288–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks-Gunn, J., & Ruble, D.N. (March, 1979).The Social and Psychological Meaning of Menarche. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in child Development, San Francisco, California.

  • Busch, C.M., Cosata, P.T., Whitehead, W.E., & Heller, B.R. (1988). Severe perimenstrual symptoms: Prevalence and effects on absenteeism and health care seeking in a non-clinic sample.Women and Health, 14(1), 59–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choung, C.J., Colligan, R.C., Coulum, C.B., & Bengstrahl, E.J. (1988). The MMPI as an aid in evaluating patients with premenstrual syndrome.Psychosomatics, 29(2), 197–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clare, A.W. (1979). Psychiatric and social aspects of premenstrual complaints in women attending general practitioners. In L. Carenza, & L. Zichella, (Eds.),Emotion and reproduction (pp. 177–184). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clare, A.W. (1983). Psychiatric and social aspects of premenstrual complaint. [Monograph]Psychological Medicine, (suppl. 4), 3–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clare, A.W., & Wiggins, R.O. (1979). The construction of a modified version of the MDQ for use in general practise populations. In L. Carenza, & L. Zichella, (Eds.),Emotion and reproduction (vol. 20A). London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullberg, J. (1972). Mood changes and menstrual symptoms with different gestagen/estrogen combinations.Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, (suppl. 236), 1–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dalton, K. (1964).The premenstrual syndrome. London: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dennerstein, L., & Burrows, G. (1979). Affect and the menstrual cycle.Journal of Affective Disorders, 1, 77–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Englander-Golden, P. (1977). A longitudinal study of cyclical variation in moods and behaviours as a function of repression and the menstrual cycle.Dissertation Abstracts International, 38, 2361b.

  • Englander-Golden, P., Whitmore, M., & Dienstbier, R. (1978). Menstrual cycle as a focus of study and self-reports of moods and behaviours.Motivation and Emotion, 2, 75–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank, R.T. (1931). The hormonal causes of premenstrual tension.Archives of Neurological Psychiatry, 26, 1053–1057.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gannon, L. (1981). Evidence for a psychological aetiology of menstrual disorders: A critical review.Psychological Reports, 48, 287–302.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golub, S. (1976a). The effect of premenstrual anxiety and depression on cognitive function.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34(1), 99–104.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golub, S. (1976b). The magnitude of premenstrual anxiety and depression.Psychosomatic Medicine, 38(1), 4–12.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golub, S., & Harrington, D.M. (1981). Premenstrual and menstrual mood changes in adolescent women.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 961–965.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Good, P.R., & Smith, B.D. (1980). Menstrual distress and sex-role attributes.Psychology of Women Quarterly, 4(4), 482–491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gough, H.G. (1975). Personality factors related to reported severity of menstrual distress.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 84(1), 59–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greene, R., & Dalton, K. (1953). The premenstrual syndrome.British Medical Journal, 1, 1007.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gruba, G.H., & Rohrbaugh, M. (1975). MMPI correlates of menstrual distress.Psychosomatic Medicine, 37, 265–273.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halbreich, U., & Endicott, J. (1985). Methodological issues in studies of premenstrual changes.Psychoneuroendocrinology, 10, 15–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halbreich, U., Endicott, J., Schatch, S., & Nee, J. (1982). The diversity of premenstrual changes as reflected in the Premenstrual Assessment Form.Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 65, 46–65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harding, C.M., Vail, C., & Brown, R. (1985). Effect of oral contraceptives and some psychological factors on the menstrual experience.Journal of Biosocial Science, 17, 291–304.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, W.G., & Russell, W. (1986). A prospective comparison study of premenstrual syndrome symptoms.Medical Journal of Australia, 144, 466–468.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haskett, R.F., & Abplanalp, J.M. (1983). Premenstrual tension syndrome: Diagnostic criteria and selection of research subjects.Psychiatry Research, 9, 125–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haskett, R.F., Steiner, M. & Carroll, B.J. (1984). A psychoneuroendocrine study of PMTS.Journal of Affective Disorders, 6, 191–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, A.B., Jr. & Frank, M.F. (1989). Self-preoccupation and general stress level as sensitizing factors in premenstrual and menstrual distress.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 33(5), 571–577.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kirstein, L. Rosenberg, G., & Smith, H. (1981). Cognitive changes during the menstrual cycle.International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 10(4), 339–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahmeyer, H.W., Miller, M., & DeLeon-Jones, F. (1982). Anxiety and mood fluctuations during the normal menstrual cycle.Psychosomatic Medicine, 44(2), 183–194.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lubin, B. (1967).Manual for the depression adjective check list. California: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maddocks, S., Hahn, P., Moller, F., & Reid, R.L. (1986). A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of progesterone vaginal suppositories in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 154(3), 573–581.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markum, R.A. (1976). Assessment of the reliability and the effect of neutral instructions on the symptoms ratings on the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire.Psychosomatic Medicine, 38, 163–172.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, C.V., & Chopra, R. (1987). Personality variations as an effect of premenstrual tensions.Personality and Individual Differences, 8(5), 763–765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R.H. (1968). The development of a menstrual distress questionnaire.Psychosomatic Medicine, 30(6), 853–867.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R.H. (1969). Typology of menstrual cycle symptoms.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 103(3), 390–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R.H., Kopell, B.S., Melges, F.T., Yalon, I.D., Lunde, D.T., Clayton, R.B., & Hamburg, D.A. (1969). Fluctuations in symptoms and moods during the menstrual cycle.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 13, 37–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R.H., (1977). Menstrual Distress Questionnaire.Manual. Stanford University: Cal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R.H., & Leiderman, D.B. (1978). Toward a conceptualization of menstrual symptoms types.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 22, 31–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morse, C.A., Dennestein, L. Varnavides, K., & Burrows, G.D. (1988). Menstrual cycle symptoms: Comparison of a non-clinical sample with a patient group.Journal of Affective Disorders, 14, 41–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paige, K.E. (1973). Women learn to sing the menstrual blues.Psychology Today, 7, 41–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parlee, M.B. (1974). Stereotypic beliefs about menstruation: A methodological note on the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and some new data.Psychosomatic Medicine, 36(3), 229–240.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pazy, A., Yedlin, N., & Lomranz, J. (1989). The measurement of perimenstrual distress.Journal of Psychology, 123(6), 571–583.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, M.L., & Harding, S.S. (1981). Retrospective and daily menstruation measures in men and women. In P. Komnenick, M. McSweeney, J.A. Noack, & S.N. Elder, (Eds.),The Menstrual Cycle (vol. 2). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rouse, P. (1978). Premenstrual tension: A study using the Moos Menstrual Questionnaire.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 22, 215–222.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubinow, D.R., & Roy-Byrne, P. (1984). Premenstrual syndromes: Overview from a methodological perspective.American Journal of Psychiatry, 141(2), 163–172.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ruble, D.N. (1977). Premenstrual symptoms: A reinterpretation.Science, 197, 291–292.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, G.A. (1979). Premenstrual syndrome: A double-blind controlled trial of progesterone and placebo.British Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 209–215.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, G.A., & Jenner, F.A. (1977). Studies of daily recordings from Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire.British Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 265–271.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scrambler, A., & Scrambler, G. (1985). Menstrual symptoms, attitudes and consulting behaviour.Social Science Medicine, 20(10), 1065–1068.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scrambler, G., & Scrambler, A. (1986). Minor psychiatric morbidity and menstruation.International Journal of Psychiatry, 32(3), 9–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siegal, J.P., Myers, B.J., & Dineen, M.K. (1987). Premenstrual tension syndrome symptom clusters.Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 32(6), 395–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbergeld, S., Brast, N., & Noble, E.P. (1971). The menstrual cycle: A double-blind study of symptoms, mood and behaviour, and biochemical variables using Envoid and placebo.Psychosomatic Research, 13, 37–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slade, P. (1984). Premenstrual emotional changes in normal women: Fact or fiction?Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 28(1), 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Slade, P. (1989). Psychological therapy for premenstrual emotional symptoms.Behavioural Psychotherapy, 17, 135–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slade, P., & Jenner, F.A. (1980). Attitudes to female roles, aspects of menstruation and complaining of menstrual symptoms.British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19, 109–113.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Speilberger, C.D., Gorsuch, R.C., & Lushene, R.E. (1970).STAI manual. California: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, M., Haskett, R.F., Carroll, B.J., Hats, S.E., & Rubin, R.T. (1984). Circadian hormone secretory profiles in women with severe premenstrual tension syndrome.British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 466–471.

  • Stevens, G., & Gardner, S. (March, 1981).Attitudes towards menstruation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Educational Research Association (4th), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

  • Tam, W.Y.K., Chan, M., & Lee, P.H.K. (1985). The menstrual cycle and platelet 5-HT uptake.Psychosomatic Medicine, 47(4), 352–362.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Der Akker, O., & Steptoe, A. (1985). The pattern and prevalence of symptoms, during the menstrual cycle.British Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 164–169.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Der Ploeg, H.M. (1987). Emotional states and the premenstrual syndrome.Personality and Individual Differences, 8(1), 95–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcoxon, L.A., Schrader, S.L., & Sherif, C.W. (1976). Daily self-reports on activities, life events, moods and somatic changes during the menstrual cycle.Psychosomatic Medicine, 38(6), 399–417.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, N.F., Dery, G.K., & Most, A. (1982). Stressful life events and perimenstrual symptoms.Journal of Human Stress, 8, 23–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zimbardo, P.G. (1979).Psychology and life. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zola, P., Meyerson, A.T., Reznikoff, M., Thornton, C., & Concool, B.M. (1979). Menstrual symptomatology and psychiatric admission:Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 23, 241–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Clinic, Department of Psychology, The University of Queensland, 4067, Brisbane, Qld, Australia

    Ellen Hawes & Tian P. S. Oei

Authors
  1. Ellen Hawes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tian P. S. Oei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hawes, E., Oei, T.P.S. The menstrual distress questionnaire: Are the critics right?. Current Psychology 11, 264–281 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686846

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686846

Keywords

Search

Navigation