TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Relationship between Premenstrual Syndrome and Temperament and Character Dimensions: The Mediating Role of Difficulty in Emotion Regulation
TT  - The Relationship between Premenstrual Syndrome and Temperament and Character Dimensions: The Mediating Role of Difficulty in Emotion Regulation
AU  - Hosseini, Farima
AU  - Narımanı, Mohamad
AU  - Basharpoor, Sajjad
PY  - 2025
DA  - September
Y2  - 2025
DO  - 10.62425/esbder.1579415
JF  - Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences
JO  - Ebelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi
PB  - Ataturk University
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 2687-2110
SP  - 246
EP  - 253
VL  - 8
IS  - 3
LA  - en
AB  - Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is among the most prevalent disorders experienced by women of reproductive age, and it can greatly interfere daily activities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between PMS and temperament and character dimensions, with a focus on the mediating role of difficulty in emotion regulation.Methods: This research employed a descriptive correlational design and utilized path analysis. The statistical population consisted of all female students studying at Mohaghegh Ardabili University in the 2022-2023 academic year. A convenience sampling method was used to pick a sample of 300 individuals, from which 271 were diagnosed with PMS. Data collection tools included the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, the Temperament and Character Inventory, the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale. The data were analyzed using path analysis in AMOS-24.Results: The results revealed that self-directedness, cooperativeness, mediated by difficulty in emotion regulation, had a significant negative indirect effect on PMS, while harm avoidance had a significant positive indirect effect.Conclusion: These findings suggest that lower levels of self-directedness, cooperativeness, along with higher levels of harm avoidance, can lead to PMS by disrupting emotion regulation. Paying attention to these dimensions, mechanisms can be effective in developing preventive, therapeutic interventions for PMS.
KW  - Character dimensions
KW  - emotion regulation
KW  - premenstrual syndrome
KW  - temperament
N2  - Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is among the most prevalent disorders experienced by women of reproductive age, and it can greatly interfere daily activities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between PMS and temperament and character dimensions, with a focus on the mediating role of difficulty in emotion regulation.Methods: This research employed a descriptive correlational design and utilized path analysis. The statistical population consisted of all female students studying at Mohaghegh Ardabili University in the 2022-2023 academic year. A convenience sampling method was used to pick a sample of 300 individuals, from which 271 were diagnosed with PMS. Data collection tools included the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, the Temperament and Character Inventory, the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale. The data were analyzed using path analysis in AMOS-24.Results: The results revealed that self-directedness, cooperativeness, mediated by difficulty in emotion regulation, had a significant negative indirect effect on PMS, while harm avoidance had a significant positive indirect effect.Conclusion: These findings suggest that lower levels of self-directedness, cooperativeness, along with higher levels of harm avoidance, can lead to PMS by disrupting emotion regulation. Paying attention to these dimensions, mechanisms can be effective in developing preventive, therapeutic interventions for PMS.
CR  - Bandura, A., & Wood, R. E. (2020). The impact of self-efficacy and internal locus of control on self-regulation & coping strategies. Journal of Personality, 88(2), 287-302. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12421
CR  - Berenbaum, S. A., & Raghavan, C. (2019). Personality and premenstrual syndrome: The role of temperament and character. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 126, 109827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.109827
CR  - Cacciatore, J. J., & Pritchard, M. (2021). Menstrual health literacy: A qualitative study of women’s experiences with menstrual symptoms and their understanding of menstrual health. BMC Women's Health, 21(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01428-0
CR  - Callovini, T., Di Nicola, M., Pepe, M., Crocamo, C., Bartoli, F., Sani, G., & Carrà, G. (2024). Influence of temperament and emotional dysregulation on depressive symptoms in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A structural equation modelling analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 180, 227–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.10.019
CR  - Choi, D. H., & Jung, Y. S. (2022). Temperament, Character and Cognitive Emotional Regulation in the Latent Profile Classification of Smartphone Addiction in University Students. Sustainability, 14(18), 11643. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811643
CR  - Eckland, N. S., & Berenbaum, H. (2021). Emotional awareness in daily life: Exploring its potential role in repetitive thinking and healthy coping. Behavior Therapy, 52(2), 338-349. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BETH.2020.04.010
CR  - Fouladchang, M. (2014). Effectiveness of emotion regulation training on happiness and self-efficacy in female household heads. Women and Society (Sociology of Women), 5(4), 89-105. https://sid.ir/paper/169099/fa
CR  - Fountoulakis, K. N., & Gonda, X. (2019). Modeling human temperament and character on the basis of combined theoretical approaches. Annals of General Psychiatry, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-019-0247-1
CR  - Garrison, J. R., & Henneman, K. (2020). The role of emotion regulation in premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics Gynecology, 41(3), 218-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2020.1715436
CR  - Gholami, M., & Khosravi, A. (2021). The prevalence and impact of premenstrual syndrome among female university students in Iran. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics Gynecology, 42(2), 106-113. https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2020.1821234
CR  - Godefroy, V., Trinchera, L., Romo, L., & Rigal, N. (2016). Modelling the effect of temperament on BMI through appetite reactivity and self-regulation in eating: a Structural Equation Modelling approach in young adolescents. International Journal of Obesity, 40(4), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2016.6
CR  - Halbreich, U., & Borenstein, J. (2019). The role of hormones in premenstrual syndrome: A review. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 22(3), 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-00952-x
CR  - Hofmeister, S., & Bodden, S. (2016). Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. American Family Physician, 94(3), 236–240.
CR  - Houghton, S., & Muir, J. (2020). The impact of premenstrual syndrome on women's health: A review of recent literature. Journal of Women's Health, 29(6), 1240-1247. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.7860
CR  - Izadpanah, S. H., Schumacher, M., Arens, E. A., Stopsack, M., Ulrich, I., Hansenne, M., Grabe, H. J., & Barnow, S. (2016). Adolescent harm avoidance as a longitudinal predictor of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation in adulthood: The mediating role of inhibitory control. Journal of Adolescence, 52, 49-59.
CR  - Kessler, R. C., & Wang, P. (2019). The role of social support in the relationship between personality traits and psychological distress: A longitudinal study. Social Science Medicine, 239, 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112120
CR  - Komasi, S., Rezaei, F., Hemmati, A., Rahmani, K., Amianto, F., & Miettunen, J. (2022). Comprehensive meta-analysis of associations between temperament and character traits in Cloninger’s psychobiological theory and mental disorders. Journal of International Medical Research, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605211070766
CR  - Lee, B. D., Park, J. M., Lee, Y. M., Moon, E., Jeong, H. J., Chung, Y. I., & Yi, Y. M. (2016). Heritability and Familiality of Temperament and Character Dimensions in Korean Families with Schizophrenic Linkage Disequilibrium. Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience, 14(2), 203–209. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2016.14.2.203
CR  - Matiz, A., Pascut, S., Fabbro, F., & Crescentini, C. (2025). Temperament and Character Moderate the Effects of Mindfulness Training on Psychological and Professional Well-Being of School Teachers. Mindfulness, 16(5), 1376–1395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-025-02573-0
CR  - McRae, K., & Gross, J. J. (2020). Emotion regulation: Conceptual and practical issues in the study of emotion regulation. Emotion, 20(5), 779-785. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000661
CR  - Meers, J. M., Bower, J. L., & Alfano, C. A. (2020). Poor sleep and emotion dysregulation mediate the association between depressive and premenstrual symptoms in young adult women. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 23, 351-359.
CR  - Morishita, C., Inoue, T., Honyashiki, M., Ono, M., Iwata, Y., Tanabe, H., & Masuya, J. (2022). Roles of childhood maltreatment, personality traits, and life stress in the prediction of severe premenstrual symptoms. Biopsychosocial Medicine, 16(1), 11.
CR  - Nasiri Kanari, F., Mahmoud Alilou, M., Nemati, F., & Bayrami, M. (2024). The Structural Relationships Between Temperament Dimensions of Personality and Psychological Symptoms of Somatic Symptom Disorder with the Mediation of Emotional Dysregulation. Journal of Psychological Dynamics in Mood Disorders, 3(2), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.pdmd.3.2.4
CR  - Nasiri, F., Sharifi, S., Mashhadi, A., & Sharp, R. (2021). Premenstrual syndrome: The role of emotion regulation strategies and trait meta-mood. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 1-12.
CR  - Prochwicz, K., Kłosowska, J., & Kałużna-Wielobób, A. (2018). The relationship between emotion regulation strategies, personality traits and skin picking behaviours in a non-clinical sample of Polish adults. Psychiatry Research, 264, 67–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.046
CR  - Schmitt, J., & Huber, J. C. (2020). Understanding premenstrual syndrome: A historical perspective on diagnosis and treatment. European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 253, 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.06.013
CR  - Schmitt, M., & Huber, C. (2021). The impact of personality traits on premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 145, 110474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110474
CR  - Shirahama, M., Terao, T., Ishii, N., Hatano, K., Hirakawa, H., & Kohno, K. (2018). Relationship between anxious temperament and harm avoidance in medical students and staff. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 72(5), 322-328. https://doi.org/10.1111/PCN.12633
CR  - Telek, T., Gonda, X., Lazary, J., Benko, A., Pap, D., Vargha, A., & Bagdy, G. (2010). The possible protective role of personality dimensions against premenstrual syndrome. Psychiatry Research, 179(1), 81-85.
CR  - Vespa, A., Giulietti, M. V., Fabbietti, P., Di Rosa, M., Gattafoni, P., Berardi, R., Arnaldi, G., Balercia, G., & Spatuzzi, R. (2024). Using temperament and character dimensions (TCI) to analyze the personality profiles of adults and older adults with cancer managed in outpatient settings. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1289093
CR  - Wu, M., Liang, Y., Wang, Q., Zhao, Y., & Zhou, R. (2016). Emotion dysregulation of women with premenstrual syndrome. Scientific Reports, 6, 38501. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38501
CR  - Yıldız Çakır, L., & Dorak, F. (2024). The Relationship Between Stress Tolerance, Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Temperament Types: Pre-Service Teachers Example. Herkes Için Spor ve Rekreasyon Dergisi, 6(4), 479–489. https://doi.org/10.56639/jsar.1562558
CR  - Yoleri, S. (2018). Examining the association between burnout and temperament and character traits of preschool teachers. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(2), 192–200. https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v13i2.3126
CR  - Yonkers, K. A., O'Brien, P. M. S., & Eriksson, E. (2020). Premenstrual syndrome. The Lancet, 395(10240), 1200-1210. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736 (20)30345-1
UR  - https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1579415
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4340190
ER  -