Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this study were (1) to investigate the relationship between PMDD symptoms, depression and bulimic tendency in young females and (2) to compare the differences between a retrospective study and a prospective study in the reporting of PMDD symptoms. Method : A questionnaire, which was based on research criteria for PMDD from DSM-IV, SDS and BITE were administrated to 373 female undergraduate and graduate students. And we administrated a prospective symptom rating form "DRSP" to 26 subjects who retrospectively reported that they had experienced PMDD symptoms. Results : Although 33.7% of the subjects reported having experienced PMDD symptoms (at least 5 of the 11 symptoms, including 1 or more mood symptoms), only 2.5% of the subjects have been severely impaired their social life by PMDD symptoms. Result of ANOVA, people who had PMDD symptoms and were impaired their social life, were more depressed and had higher bulimic tendency than asymptomatic people and symptomatic people without functional impairment. In addition, Most of the data in prospective study showed no pattern of increase in PMDD symptoms during the premenstrual phase. Conclusion : These results indicated that PMDD might be related with not only the depression but the bulimia nervosa.
