Abstract
This study investigated factors affecting to the perimenstrual changes, menstrual attitudes and self-care behaviors of junior college students. Data were collected longitudinally for two years. Participants are 1,045 junior college students aged 18〜22 years old. The questionnaire consisted of scales regarding menstrual condition, perimenstrual changes, menstrual pain, menstrual attitude, self-esteem, optimism/pessimism tendency, satisfaction of gender role, and life-style. Perimenstrual changes and menstrual pain was affected by physical factors; blood flow, duration, years after menarche. Other important factors were psychosocial factors; optimism/pessimism tendency, self-esteem, stress and stress release, perceived health and life-style. Menstrual attitude and negative perimenstrual changes mutually affected each other. During menstrual education given to college students, we supported not only the need for menstrual self-care education but also the need for reframing negative menstrual attitudes, stress management skills and healthy lifestyle.
