Menstrual cycle symptom reporting in three British ethnic groups

Three different British ethnic groups were targeted to assess the influence of learned or culturally prescribed symptom reporting behaviour across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Forty-eight Afro-Caribbean, 73 Caucasian and 32 Oriental subjects completed a Positive/Negative Affectivity scale, a Retrospective assessment of premenstrual symptoms and daily symptom reports for 35 days. The results showed a significantly elevated level of symptomatology premenstrually and menstrually in the Caucasian group compared to both others. Analysis of subscales suggested elevated symptom reporting occurred for the psychological mood, body symptoms and pain, but not for the mental performance and social behaviour subscales. Intermenstrual reports of symptoms and Negative Affectivity did not differ between groups. A response bias or underlying trait is therefore unlikely to account for the selective reporting observed. It is suggested that the question of learning variables playing an important role in the reporting of symptoms at different phases of the menstrual cycle may be reopened.