Role of menstrual symptoms, rumination and self-compassion in premenstrual depressive symptoms

Abstract

The current research aimed to examine the role of menstrual symptoms, rumination, and self-compassion, in the development of premenstrual depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the study also aimed to explore the role of demographic variables along study variables. For this purpose, a convenient sample of250 university females from different universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad was approached. Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (Chesney & Tasto, 1975), Rumination Response Scale (Nohlen-Hoeksema, 1991), Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) were used for data collection. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were found to be in the satisfactory range for all measures. Research findings shown that there was significant relationship between the study variables. Regression analyses showed menstrual symptoms, and rumination are positive predictors of premenstrual depressive symptoms. Self-compassion is the negative predictor of premenstrual depressive symptoms. Different demographic variables were explored, including education, age and early menarche. The implications of the current study have a variety as it will contribute in the previous literature, present a study in Pakistani context. It will also help to develop special training programs to make adolescents and adult females aware of menstruation, menstrual difficulties and coping strategies. Moreover, in clinical settings counselling can be provided to females to reduce menstrual symptoms, ruminative tendency and depressive symptoms and to help increase selfcompassion. Cross-sectional design and self-report measures are the limitations of this study.