Psychological Correlates of the Development of Amenorrhea in a Stress Situation

Abstract

A longitudinal study was performed in an attempt to determine parameters which could aid in predicting the development of amenorrhea in normal females. A total freshman class of nursing students participated as subjects. It was found that psychological parameters, specifically those related to body image theory, correlated with the development of menstrual aberration. A history of significant menstrual irregularity at any time in the past was also found to correlate with menstrual disturbance during the study. Indices of physique, sexual and physical maturation, prior gynecological symptoms other than menstrual irregularity, and medical difficulty in general could not be related to the development of menstrual aberration.