EFFECTS OF MENSTRUAL-CYCLE MOODS AND SYMPTOMS ON ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE- A STUDY OF SENIOR SECONDARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS

Background. Menstrual cycle moods and symptoms may well play a discern ible role in the academic performance of some post-pubescent adolescen t female students. Aims. It was expected that menstrually related mood s and symptoms would have both negative and positive influences on aca demic learning outcomes, and that the magnitude of these effects would be directly proportional to the salience of such moods and symptoms a cross the monthly cycle. Samples. The sample comprised 427 post-pubesc ent female students (Years 10, 11, and 12) attending a number of senio r secondary schools within the Melbourne metropolitan area, Australia. Methods. Given the sensitivity of conducting such a study, combined w ith the logistical difficulties of obtaining prospective data within s chool settings, retrospective Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) s cores were related to the previous end-of-year academic grades across a wide range of 18 senior school subjects. Despite the conservative de sign constraints and associated data analyses (correlations were not c orrected for attenuation), some systematic effects were observed. Resu lts. At the premenstrual, menstrual, and intermenstrual phases, moods and symptoms significantly predicted grades in 14 per cent, 7 per cent , and 13 per cent of instances, respectively. Although most significan t relationships were negative, scores on the MDQ Arousal scale for the intermenstrual phase positively predicted grades in English Literatur e, (general) Mathematics, Art and Craft, History, Mathematics 1, and S tudy of Society. Conclusions. Evidently, menstrual cycle variables pla y a small, but discernible role on academic learning outcomes, contrib uting both positively and negatively to performance. Future, prospecti ve studies are now needed to provide a more definitive account of mens trual cycle influences on academic performance.