An investigation into the effects of age and type A arousal behavior typography upon menstrual symptom reporting

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Authors
Sherwood, Mary Z.
Advisor
Mitchell, Peter M.
Issue Date
1984
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (Ph. D.)
Department
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was two fold: 1) To examine possible differences in menstrual reporting between two different age groups, and 2) To examine possible differences in menstrual reporting between two dichotomized action emotion typography groups-- Type A and Type B.The population consisted of 50 women in the age group of 15 to 20 and 50 women in the age group of 30 to 40 years. Data was collected simultaneously and the interrelationships were considered statistically. The Jenkins Activity Survey appropriate for age, and three factors on the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire-- pain, negative concentration, and affective changes during the premenstrual phase and menstrual phase of the cycle were the variables being studied.The design of the study was a 2 x 2 factorial design. In the multivariate sense, the main effects were tested and then univariate statistics were used to interpret significant main effects.No significant differences were found in the vectors of Type A and Type B on any of the three factors, either when premenstrual scores were totaled with menstrual scores or when those two scores were considered separately. No significant differences were found in premenstrual or menstrual pain reporting in the different age groups. No significant differences were found in premenstrual or menstrual reporting of negative concentration factors. A significant difference was found in greater affective change reporting in the older age group. This difference was found to be in premenstrual reporting, but not in menstrual reporting.1. Women in the 30 to 40 age group report significantly more premenstrual affective changes than women in the 15 to 20 age group. 2. Action emotion typography did not prove to be a predictor of differential menstrual reporting.The implications of these findings as related to feminine development were discussed and recommendations for replication and further research were presented.This dissertation contains an extensive bibliography of the most recent research related to the menstrual cycle, Type A and Type B research, stress, and stress as related to the menstrual cycle.