Occupational participation and engagement of woman experiencing premenstrual syndrome: A qualitative study.
Yebin Park, Angela Murphy, Daniel Cezar da Cruz
PMID 40336715WHAT IT FOUND
Four women described how premenstrual symptoms disrupted their daily routines and work, causing them to isolate themselves to avoid conflict.
They found tracking their cycles and engaging in specific self-care occupations helpful, but struggled to maintain these routines when symptoms peaked.
Key findings
01Participants experienced reduced motivation and energy that interfered with daily routines, work, and domestic tasks.
02Women reported social impairment and self-isolation to prevent interpersonal conflict, often feeling guilt about their emotional reactions.
03Self-awareness through cycle tracking and engagement in meaningful occupations like yoga or walking were identified as coping strategies, though difficult to implement during symptom peaks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small, with only four women completing the interviews, which limits the transferability of the findings. Member checking was not possible due to time constraints, which may have affected the validation of the themes. Data on comorbidities were not collected, although two participants mentioned having psychiatric comorbidities during interviews, meaning these factors could have influenced the experiences reported. Personal characteristics such as cultural background and socio-economic status were not captured, which may have influenced the participants' experiences of PMS.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and no financial support for the research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as generalizable to all women with PMS. With only four participants, this study provides a preliminary glimpse into lived experiences rather than a comprehensive picture, and the lack of data on comorbidities means other health conditions may have influenced the reported occupational disruptions.