Emotional fluctuations in women

Abstract

The aims of this research were to investigate, (1) whether the tendency to produce emotionally disturbed behaviour in women varied throughout the monthly cycle. (2) whether variations occurred more often among one temperamental type than another. Test Material. (1) a modification of the Woodworth Neurotic Inventory given every day in the form of a controlled diary. (2) The Mosaic Test. (3) Exercise 4 of the Terman Miles Masculine-Femine Test. Results. From data obtained from 44 subjects it was found that the tendency to produce emotionally disturbed behaviour did vary throughout the monthly cycle. The largest number of symptoms were produced just before or on the first day of menstruation. Other days prolific in symptoms were the 4th day of menstruation, the 2nd. day of the postmenstrual phase, and the 2nd. and 5th. days of the intermenstrual phase. Insufficient evidence was obtained to draw conclusions regarding the distribution of symptoms of different temperamental types.