Relationships between Gender Roles and Attitudes towards Menstruation and Perception of Menstrual Pain in Iranian Women

Abstract

Background: Menstruation is a prominent mark of womanhood. It is necessary to explore what factors may develop female attitudes towards this natural phenomenon in different populations. Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships between gender roles and attitudes towards menstruation and perception of menstrual pain among Iranian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 164 women of reproductive age in Torbat-e Heydariyeh in the east of Iran between September and December 2019. The participants completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ), and Verbal Multidimensional Scoring System (VMSS) forms. Data analysis was then performed in SPSS 16.0. Results: According to the results, menstruation was perceived as a natural phenomenon more significantly by the androgynous group than by the undifferentiated and masculine groups (p<0.05). It was also perceived as a predictable phenomenon more significantly by the feminine women than by the other gender role groups (p<0.05). Furthermore, the gender role groups had no significant differences in the prevalence and severity of menstrual pain (p>0.05). Conclusion: Androgynous women considered menstruation a natural phenomenon more often. Psychological interventions should focus on correcting attitudes towards menstruation, especially in women with femininity, masculinity, and undifferentiated gender roles.