The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms, anxiety and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) with dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls. Adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea have an increased risk of depression and anxiety. These results of this study are significant in emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to primary dysmenorrhea follow–up and treatment.
Methods
A total of 159 adolescent girls (aged 13–19 years) with regular menstrual cycles presenting to the gyneacology clinic with any complaints were included in the study during April–May 2013.
All of the participants filled up the sociodemographic data collection form, FACES Pain Rating Scale, Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), Beck depression inventory (BDI), and a questionnaire form on criteria for PMS.
Mann Whitney U and chi–square tests were used to analyze the data.
Results
The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 67.9 %.
The main BAI and BDI scores of the patients were 13.64 ± 12.81 and 11.88 ± 10.83, respectively.
Statistically significant differences were observed between patients and control groups on the BAI and BDI scoring (p<0.05).
At least one of the symptoms of the PMS was detected in all of the participants and 29 (18.2%) of them were diagnosed as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder(PMDD).
The main BAI score of the patients with PMS and PMDD were 9.65 ± 9.28 and 21.31 ± 15.75, respectively.
The main BDI score of the patients with PMS and PMDD were 8.39 ± 8.62 and 19.1 ± 11.85, respectively.
Statistically significant differences were observed between PMS/PMDD and BAI /BDI scoring (p=0,00).