Abstract
Chesney and Tasto's (1975a) Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) was developed on the basis of Dalton 's theory of spasmodic and congestive dysmenorrhea, which states that the two types are caused by opposite hormonal imbalances and therefore should not be found in the same woman. Evidence is offered which suggests that the theory is incorrect. A multiple-group factor analysis failed to adequately support the two-component model. Subsequently, a factor analysis of 275 MSQs revealed seven factors rather than the two predicted by the theory. In addition, the incidence of both high premenstrual and menstrual symptoms in the same women was demonstrated. Finally, symptoms reported by women using oral contraceptives differed little from those reported by women not using oral contraceptives. It is concluded that scoring for the MSQ should be modified to include two subscales for premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, and that the labels “spasmodic” and “congestive” be discontinued until some evidence is found for their support.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bäckström, T., and Mattsson, B. (1975). Correlation of symptoms in pre-menstrual tension to estrogen and progesterone concentrations in blood plasma.Neuropsychobiology 1: 80–86.
Bäckström, T., Wide, L., Sodergard, R., and Carstensen, H. (1976). FSH, LH, TeBG-capacity, estrogen and progesterone in women with premenstrual tension during the luteal phase.J. Steroid Biochem. 7: 473–476.
Chesney, M. A., and Tasto, D. L. (1975a). The development of the menstrual symptom questionnaire.Behav. Res. Ther. 13: 237–244.
Chesney, M. A., and Tasto, D. L. (1975b). The effectiveness of behavior modification with spasmodic and congestive dysmenorrhea.Behav. Res. Ther. 13: 245–253.
Dalton, K. (1960a). Schoolgirls' behaviour and menstruation.Br. Med. J. 2: 1647–1649.
Dalton, K. (1960b). Menstruation and accidents.Br. Med. J. 1: 1425–1426.
Dalton, K. (1961). Menstruation and crime.Br. Med. J. 2: 1752–1753.
Dalton, K. (1964)The Premenstrual Syndrome, Heineman, London.
Dalton, (1968). Menstruation and examinations.Lancet 2: 1386–1388.
Gorsuch, R. L. (1974).Factor Analysis, Saunders, Philadelphia.
Grant, E. C. G., and Pryse-Davies, J. (1968). Effect of oral contraceptives on depressive mood changes and on endometrial monoamine oxidase and phosphatase.Br. Med. J. 3: 777–780.
Greene, R., and Dalton, K. (1953). The premenstrual syndrome.Br. Med. J. 1: 1007–1014.
Kisch, E.-H. (1910).The Sexual Life of Woman in Its Physiological, Pathological, and Hygienic Aspects (M. E. Paul, trans.), Rebman Co., New York.
Lundstrom, V., and Green, K. (1978). Endometrium of normal and dysmenorrheic women.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 130: 640–646.
Moos, R. H. (1968a). The development of a menstrual distress questionnaire.Psychosom. Med. 30: 853–867.
Moos, R. H. (1968b). Psychological aspects of oral contraceptives.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 19: 87–94.
Moos, R. H., Kopell, B. S., Melges, F. T., Yalom, I. D., Lunde, D. T., Clayton, R. B., and Hamburg, D. A. (1969). Fluctuations in symptoms and moods during the menstrual cycle.J. Psychosom. Res. 13: 37–44.
Nolen, W. A. (1977). What to do about menstrual discomfort.McCall's, August, pp. 54, 56, 196.
Novak, E. R., Jones, G. S., and Jones, H. W., Jr. (1975).Novak's Textbook of Gynecology, 9th ed., Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.
Paige, K. E. (1971). Effects of oral contraceptives on affective fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle.Psychosom. Med. 33: 515–537.
Parlee, M. B. (1974). Stereotypic beliefs about menstruation: A methodological note on the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and some new data.Psychosom. Med. 36: 230–241.
Paulson, M. (1956). Psychological concomitants of premenstrual tension. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas.
Speroff, L., Glass, G. H., and Kase, N. G. (1973).Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.
Ylikorkala, O., and Dawood, N. Y. (1978). New concepts in dysmenorrhea.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 130: 833–847.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Webster, S.K., Martin, H.J., Uchalik, D. et al. The menstrual symptom questionnaire and spasmodic/congestive dysmenorrhea: Measurement of an invalid construct. J Behav Med 2, 1–19 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00846559
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00846559