Pardon My Sobbing: A Qualitative Study on Differentiating Generalised Mood Disorders From Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

[摘要] Aims. To assess current diagnostic methods used in the UnitedKingdom which have led to successful diagnoses of PMDD(Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).Methods. Women suffering from PMDD were recruitedacross the United Kingdom. Participants were interviewed usinga semi-structured interview guide about their paths to diagnosesand the impact of receiving a misdiagnosis. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed to assess for overarching themesand similarities across participants. The Patient HealthQuestionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 survey, andPremenstrual Symptom Screening Tool were used to assess foreach questionnaire’s diagnostic ability.Results. Four women aged 30–50 years all identifying as PMDDpatients were interviewed. All four participants received misdiagnoses of major depressive disorder and/or generalised anxiety disorder. The key to achieving a PMDD diagnosis for all fourwomen was awareness of the cyclical nature of their symptoms.All three surveys failed to fulfill all the diagnostic criteria forPMDD, however the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool performed the best and elicited the greatest number of symptomsfrom the population sample.Conclusion. This research showed the need for patient awarenessof PMDD via research, or awareness of the relationship betweensymptoms and the menstrual cycle, to achieving a diagnosisand receiving adequate treatment. Specialist treatment was alsoimperative to achieving a formal diagnosis.

[学科分类] 计算机科学（综合）