Societal attitudes toward obese persons are predominantly negative, and many health care professionals share these beliefs. This study compared attitudes toward obese persons of 67 US nurses to those of 107 Canadian nurses. Also, attitudes toward obesity were examined as a particular class of prejudice. A positive correlation was hypothesized between ethnic prejudice and prejudice regarding obese persons. Significant differences in attitudes toward obese patients were observed between the two groups on several questionnaire items, and the hypothesis was confirmed by the moderate r of .53 for US nurses. A surprising finding was a new target of ethnic prejudice: the Caucasian majority.

The magnitude of premenstrual mood changes in 50 parous adult women between the ages of 30 and 45 was assessed using standardized measures of depression and anxiety. Premenstrual test scores were compared with those obtained during the intermenstrual phase of the cycle and with normative data. Premenstrual state anxiety and depression mean scores were significantly higher than those obtained midcycle, but were much lower than those of patients with psychiatric disorders. Trait anxiety scores were low and were not significantly correlated with premenstrual depression and anxiety scores.

One hundred fifty-eight female subjects aged 15-16 years completed the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and reported the actual date of onset of the next two menstrual periods. These female high school students and their male classmates were later given The Depression Adjective Check List and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory twice, 2 weeks apart, in an unrelated classroom setting. This study assessed the magnitude of anxiety and depression experienced by the 29 adolescents who were tested within 4 days preceding the onset of menstruation and the 23 adolescents who were tested during the first 4 days of menstruation. Premenstrual and menstrual test scores were compared with those obtained during the intermenstrual phase of the cycle. No significant differences in mood attributable to cycle phase were found. A control group of males also showed no significant difference in mood. Adolescent women appear to be different from women over 30 who have been reported to show significantly increased state anxiety and depression during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.

Seventy college women aged 18 to 22 and 67 older women aged 30 to 45 completed a questionnaire comprised of multiple choice and open-ended questions covering recollections of menarche, preparation for menstruation, menstrual symptoms, and current attitude. The hypothesis that menarche was a significant developmental event that would be readily recalled by a majority of women regardless of age was confirmed. Almost all of the women remembered their first menstruation and the early experiences described by both groups were similar. Most women felt they were adequately prepared and a significant relationship was found between adequacy of preparation and positive reaction to menarche among the college women. Both groups reported a similar incidence of menstrual pain, bleeding, and amenorrhea. However, the incidence of menstrual symptoms in adult women was not significantly related to preparation for menstruation or to whether or not menarche was a positive event.

The Depression Adjective Check List, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a battery of factor analytically derived cognitive tests sensitive to anxiety or depression were administered to 50 women between the ages of 30 and 45 during the 4 days prior to the onset of menstruation and again 2 weeks later. Testing sessions were scheduled on the basis of a previously completed Menstrual Distress Questionnaire. There were significant increases in anxiety and depression during the premenstruum. However, no statistically significant differences were found in cognitive test performance, and correlation data failed to support any consistent relationship between premenstrual mood and cognitive function. Moreover, no significant correlations were found between premenstrual complaints on the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and either cognitive test performance or mood scores obtained during the premenstrual testing sessions. It was concluded that the magnitude of the premenstrual mood change was not great enough to affect intellectual function. Alternative explanations of the absence of decrements in performance are discussed.