The Female Role and Menstrual Distress: An Explanation for Inconsistent Evidence

Abstract

Numerous studies of either sex role behavior (masculinity/femininity) or women's role attitudes (contemporary/traditional) as related to menstrual distress have amassed inconsistent and contradictory results. It was proposed that these two role variables may hold an interactive relationship with menstrual distress, and their study in isolation may have provoked less reliable results. An interaction was found with masculine women preferring a contemporary role and feminine women committed to traditional role values reporting greater menstrual and premenstrual distress. Feminine contemporary and masculine traditional women revealed less distress associated with the menstrual cycle.