Effect of the menstrual cycle on mood and sexual arousability∗

Bibliographic Data

ID10209151
AuthorsMary E Luschen (corresponding author), David M Pierce (0000-0002-9713-1204)
Year1972
Volume8
Issue1
Pages41-47
Publication date1972-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Sex Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-4499 • E-ISSN: 1559-8519
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00224497209550729
OpenAlexW2005790715
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited9

The menstrual cycle is presumed to exert a powerful influence on the behavior of women. Dalton (1964) studied the effects of the menstrual cycle on female behavior and reported that 49% of acute medical and surgical hospital admissions occurred, the highest incidence of psychiatric admissions occurred, and that more suicide attempts are made on the four premenstrual and four menstrual days than during comparable periods of time in other parts of the month. He also found that 45% of the female industrial employees who report sick do so on the four premenstrual and four menstrual days. Sixty-two per cent of the crimes of violence committed by female prison inmates were committed in the premenstrual week according to Parker (1960). In a study of psychiatric admission rates, Janowsky (1969) reported findings indicating an aggravation of manic, catatonic, and schizophrenic symptoms during the premenstrual-menstrual phases of mental patients. Many women present variations in mood over the menstrual cycle with the most noticeable effects occurring during the premenstrual period (Parker, 1960). Many women become depressed or irritable. Accompanying physical symptoms are headache, backache, nausea, and edema. In some women these mood and physical changes are so extreme that gynecologists refer to the condition as premenstrual tension or the premenstrual tension syndrome (Parker, 1960). Apparently it is the psychological more often than the physical symptom that is the presenting complaint (Perr, 1958). Most women menstruate (Mazer and Israel, 1951). In view of the prevalence of the condition and the extreme physical and psychological effects reported, it is surprising that relatively few investigations of the phenomenon have been reported. * This report is based on an Honors Thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors at Cornell College. The research was conducted with the supervision of the junior author

Developmental psychology · Hormone · Libido · Menstrual cycle · Mood · Psychiatry · Sexual arousal · Sexual behavior · Clinical Psychology · Endometriosis Research and Treatment · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Menstrual Health and Disorders · Psychology

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