Relationships Between Stress Management and Perimenstrual Symptoms among Young Japanese Working Women
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Perimenstrual symptoms can decrease the productivity of working women and interfere with their daily lives. Women with lower stress management skills are less flexible in choosing stress-coping strategies, cannot manage stress appropriately, and may experience severe perimenstrual symptoms.
Purpose: This study aimed to determine the relationship between stress management skills and perimenstrual symptoms among young Japanese working women.
Methods: The participants were Japanese working women aged 20–29 years who were not on leave of absence from work, regardless of their profession or employment status. Stress management skills were assessed using the Sense of Coherence [SOC-13] and Brief Scale for Coping Profile [BSCP]. Perimenstrual symptoms assessed using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire [MDQ].
Results: Of the participants with symptoms, 158 (89.3%) experienced some disruption. Premenstrual MDQ scores were negatively associated with adaptive qualities for coping with stress and positively associated with stress coping by changing one’s point of view. MDQ scores during menstruation were negatively associated with adaptive qualities for coping with stress and stress coping through avoidance and suppression.
Conclusion: Perimenstrual symptoms were more severe among the participants with inadequate stress management.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Articles and files in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Akimoto, Miyaoka, & Kamo. (2009). Gekkeizen shokogun, gekkeizen hukai kibun shogai no josei no rinsho teki tokucho to sutoresu ko-pingu ni tsuite [Clinical charastaristics and stress coping behaviors in women with premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder]. Atomi gakuen jos. [Journal of Atomi University Faculty of Literature], 43(1), 45–60.
Akiyama A, K. K. (1979). Students on the influence of the menstrual cycle upon the physical and mental condition by means of MDT. Journal of Japan Society of Nursing Research, 2(2), 2_61-2_66. https://doi.org/10.15065/jjsnr.19790601007
Akiyama, & Kayashima. (1984). seishuki ni okeru shuso no bunseki [Analysis of Complaints in the Menstrual Cycle]. In Japanese journal of maternal health, 25, 232-340 (in Japanese).
Akiyama, & Kayashima. (1986). seishuki ni tomonau shuso ni tsuite shishunki kara seijukuki ni okeru kento [Complaints Associated with the Sexual Cycle. A study from puberty to maturity], Japanese journal of maternal health, 27, 104-110 (in Japanese).
Antonovsky. (1979). Health, stress, and coping. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Antonovsky. (1987). Kenko-no-nazo-wo-toku [Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well] (Y.Yamazaki, & K. Yoshii, Trans.). Tokyo: Yushindo Kobunsha.
Cheng, Sun., Lee, Shih., Chen., Lin, Lu, & Yang. (2015). Biomed.
Dennerstein, Lehert, Keung, Pal, & Choi. (2010). A population-based survey of Asian women’s experience of premenstrual symptoms. Menopause International, 16(4), 139–145.
Gender Equality Bureau Cabunet Office. (2024). Enrichment of education and learning enabling diverse choices From the “White Paper on Gender Equality 2019”. https://www.gender.go.jp/english_contents/about_danjo/whitepaper/index.html
Gynecology., J. S. of O., & Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (Eds.). (2023). Sanfujinka shinryo gaidorain – fujinka gairai hen [Guideline for gynecological practice in Japan]. In Guideline), (in Japanese). (Vol. 31, Issue 10). https://www.jsog.or.jp/activity/pdf/gl_fujinka_2023.pdf
Health and Global Policy Institute. (2018). Survey on Health Promotion and Working women. https://hgpi.org/wp-content/uploads/Survey-on-Health-Promotion-and-Working-Women-2018_Final-Report_180810_vFinal.pdf
Health and Global Policy Institute. (2023). Survey on Health Promotion and Working women. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://hgpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023_WomensHealthResearchReport_JPN.pdf
Health, M. of, Labor, & Welfare. (2021). Rodo anzen eisei ho ni motozuku sutoresu chiekku seido jisshi manyuaru [Stress check system implementation manual based on the Industrial Safety and Health Act]. (in Japanese).
Health, M. of, Labor, & Welfare. (2022a). Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions 2022.
Health, M. of, Labor, & Welfare. (2022b). Roudo no ba ni okeru sutoresu oyobi sono kenkou eikyou ni kansuru kenkyu hokokusho [Research report on stress at work and its health effects]. (in Japanese).
Health, M. of, Labour, & Welfare. (2020). Koyo kinto kihon chosa [Basic Survey of Gender Equality in Employment Management: Summary of Results (Buisiness Establishments)]. (in Japanese). Retrieved October 30, 2022,.
Health, M. of, Labour, & Welfare. (2021a). Jinko dotai tokei tokushu hokoku. Reiwa 3 nendo “Shussho ni kansuru tokei”no gaikyo [Specified report of vital statistics 2021, Live births]. (in Japanese).
Health, M. of, Labour, & Welfare. (2021b). Rodo anzen eisei chosa no gaikyo [Industrial Safety and Health Survey?: Summary of Results]. (in Japanese).
Hurrell, & McLaney. (1988). Exposure to job stress--a new psychometric instrument. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 14(1), 27–28.
Ikata, Nameda, & Miyazaki. (2021). Shuro suru sei seijyukuki josei no gekkei zuihan shojo to serufu kea [Menstruation-associated symptoms and self-care in working women of reproductive age]. Bosei Eisei [Japan Society of Maternal Health], 62(2), 436–443.
Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology., & J. A. of O. and G. (Eds. . (2023). Sanfujinka shinryou gaidorain – fujinka gairai hen [Guideline for gynecological practice in Japan]. https://www.jsog.or.jp/activity/pdf/gl_fujinka_2023.pdf
Ju, Jones, & Mishra. (2014). The prevalence and risk factors of dysmenorrhea. Epidemiologic reviews. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxt009
Kageyama. (2005). Report of Project Supported by Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research, 2002-2004 (The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan) Development of a brief assessment tool for stress coping profile and application to occupational mental health n.
Kageyama, & Kobayashi. (2017). “sutoresu” tono mukiaikata: BSCP niyoru ko-pingu tokusei hyoka kara mieru koto [How to deal with stress: What we can see from the BSCP evaluation of coping profile]. Tokyo Kingo shuppan.
Kageyama, Kobayashi, Kawashima, & Kanamaru. (2004). Kinrosha no tame no ko-pingu tokusei kani shakudo (BSCP) no kaihatsu: shinraisei?datousei ni tsuite no kisoteki kento [Development of the Brief Scales for Coping Profile (BSCP) for Workers: Basic Information about its Reliability and Validity]. Sangyo eis.
Kuwato, & Hirano. (2020). Sense of coherence, occupational stressors, and mental health among Japanese high school teachers in Nagasaki prefecture: a multiple regression analysis. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1355. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09475-x
Latthe, Mignini, Gray, Hills, & Khan. (2006). Factors predisposing women to chronic pelvic pain: systematic review. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 332(7544), 749–755. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38748.697465.55
Lazarus, & Folkman. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Leon-Larios, Silva-Reus, Martínez, P., Roba, R., Martínez, I., Pascual, L., Ratia, N., & Conde, Q. (2024). Influence of menstrual pain and symptoms on activities of daily living and work absenteeism: a cross-sectional study. Reproductive Health, 21(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-024-01757-6
Lim, Im, Cho, & Choi. (2020). The association between Antonovsky’s sense of coherence and job stress among dental hygienists in Korea. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 18(3), 307–313.
Moos. (1968). The development of a menstrual distress questionnaire. Psychosomatic Medicine, 30(6), 853–867., 30(6), 853–867.
National Federation of Industrial Health Organization. (2021). Zeneiren sutoresu cheikku sa-bisu jisshi kekka hokokusho [Stress Check Service Implementation Result Report], (in Japanese).
Oddo, Mabrouk, Andrea, Ahonen, Winkler, Vignola, & Hajat, A. (2024). The association between precarious employment and stress among working aged individuals in the United States. In Preventive medicine (p. 187). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.108123
Osman, Sabri, Zoubeidi, Alharbi, Rizk, Narchi, & Souid. (2017). Prevalence, Severity, and Correlates of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms Among Women in the Arabian Peninsula. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 19(4), 2112. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.17m02112
Ota, Nomura, Hirayama, Maeda, Komatsu, Nakamura, Yamada, Ishikawa, Kobayashi, Shirakawa, Aisaka, Ono, Hiraike, Hiraike, & Okinaga. (n.d.). Relationship between somatic symptoms with menstruation and intention to leave work among university hospital nurses in Japan: a cross-sectional study. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 96(1), 155–166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01905-0
Otaki. (2017). Hataraku josei no gekkeitsu no taisho kodo ni kanren suru yoin [Factors related to coping behavior to alleviate menstrual pain in working women]. Nihon Bosei Kango Gakkaishi [Journal of Japan Maternity Nursing], (in Japanese)., 17(1), 53–60.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. (2022). Hataraku josei no kenko ishiki chosa [Health Awareness Survey of Working Women].(in Japanese).
Sawada, & Katsuki. (2018). Seishinka kangoshi no shubi ikkan kankaku (SOC) to sutoresu taisho katei tono kanren ni tsuite [The relationship between Psychiatric Nurses’ Sense of Coherence (SOC) and the Stress Management Process]. Nagoya ichiritsu daigaku kango gakubu kiyo [Bulletin.
Statistics Bureau of Japan. (2021). The Population Census of Japan 2020. (In Japanese).
Statistics Bureau of Japan. (2022). The Labor Force Survey 2021. (In Japanese).
Suruga. (2016). Kodomo to doukyo shite inai seishain josei ni okeru gekkei zen shoukogun no shoujo to shokugyo sei sutoresu oyobi serufukea gakushu ni-zu tono kanren [Relationship between symptoms and occupational stress and the need to learn self-care skills of premenst. [Journal of the International University of Health and Welfare], (in Japanese)., 21(2), 18–30.
Togari, Yamazaki, Nakayama, Yokoyama, Yonekura, & Takeuchi. (2015). 13 komoku 7 kenho sense of coherence suke-ru nihongo ban no kijunchi no sanshutsu [Nationally representative score of the Japanese language version of the 13-item 7-point sense of coherence scale]. Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi [Japanese Journal of Public Health], 62(5), 232–237. https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.62.5_232 (in Japanese).
Tsurugano, & Yano. (2011). Inoue, M., Nishikitani, M., Hiseiki koyosha no kenko ni kansuru bunken chosa [The health of permanent workers and workers with precarious employment: a literature review]. Sangyo Eiseigaku Zasshi [Journal of Occupational Health], 53(4), 117–139.
Wang, Wang, Wang, Chen, Ronnennberg, Guang, Huang, Fang, Zang, Wang, & Xu. (2004). Stress and dysmenorrhoea: a population based prospective study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 61(12), 1021–1026.
Watanabe, Toda, Nishiumi, Okada, & Okumura. (2012). Gekkei zen shokogun ni okeru sutoresu to seikatsu shukan to no kanren bunseki [Health care analysis of physical stress and personal lifestyle, as socio-medical backgrounds, in reproductive-age women with premenstrual syndrome]. Bosei Eisei [Japanese Journal of Maternal Health], (in Japanese)., 52(1), 437-443,.
Yamamoto, Okazaki, Sakamoto, & Funatsu. (2009). The relationship between premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress among Japanese college students. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 28(3), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.2114/jpa2.28.129
Yamazaki. (1999). Kenko he no atarashi kangaekata wo rironka shita kenko seiseiron to kenko hoji noryoku gainen SOC. [Health generation theory and health maintenance capacity concept SOC that theorized a new way of thinking about health]. Quality Nursing, (in Japanese)., 5(1), 825-832.
Yoshida, Yamada, & Morioka. (2018). Seishin oyobi ryoyo byosho de kinmu suru kangoshi no shubi ikkan kankaku to sutoresu hannou tono kanren [Relationship of SOC with occupational stress reaction among nurses in psychological and recuperation wards]. Nihon Igaku Kangogaku Kyouiku Gakkaishi [Japanese Journal of Medical and Nursing Education], (in Japanese)., 26(3), 1–8.