Ambivalent sexism, attitudes towards menstruation and menstrual cycle‐related symptoms

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between ambivalent sexism and beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation, and, in turn, to study the influence of these variables on menstrual cycle-related symptoms. One hundred and six Mexican women completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, the Beliefs about and Attitudes toward Menstruation Questionnaire and the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire. The higher scores on benevolent sexism were associated with the most positive attitudes towards menstruation and also with the belief that a menstruating woman should or should not do some activities and that menstruation keeps women from their daily activities. The higher scores on hostile sexism were associated with rejection of menstruation as well as with feelings of embarrassment about it. Beliefs about and attitudes towards menstruation predicted menstrual cycle-related symptoms related to negative affect, impaired concentration and behavioural changes, but did not predict somatic symptoms. These results will be useful to health professionals and advocates who want to change the negative expectations and stereotypes of premenstrual and menstrual women and reduce the sexism and negative attitudes towards women that are evident in Mexican culture.

A path analysis of stress and premenstrual symptoms in Korean international and Korean domestic students

“…In addition, as the decisive factors for the severity of premenstrual symptoms remain unclear, some believe their symptoms are from a lack of exercise, caffeine intake, stress or sensitive characteristics (Marván et al . ).…”

Zer emozio pizten dizkigu hilerokoak?

“…Hilerokoari buruzko jarreren gainean egindako ikerketen berrikusketak (Marván, Chrisler, Gorman & Barney, 2017) erakutsi du jarrera negatiboak, besteak beste hilerokoa gertaera desatsegin, lotsagarri edo larritasunezko bezala definitzeak edota berari buruz urruntasunez hitz egiteak, hainbat ondorio zuzen dituela. Hasteko, hilerokoa izaten den egunetan zehar eta hilerokoa jaitsi baino lehenagoko egunetan herstura larriagoa (Marvan, Vazquez-Toboada & Chrisler, 2014), baita norbere objektifikaziorako tendentzia handiagoa ere, (Grose & Grabe, 2014;Johnston-Robledo, Sheffield, Voigt & Wilcox-Constantine, 2007), gorputz-irudi negatiboagoa (Chrisler, Marvan, Gorman & Rossini, 2015) eta azkenik hilerokoa duen emakumea hainbat ekintzatarako (kirola, igeri/bainatu edota praktika sexualak izan) gai ez dela dioten usteak ere aurresan ditzake (Marvan, Ramırez-Esparza, Cortes-Iniestra & Chrisler, 2006). Gainera ikertzaileek frogatu dute, alde batetik, hilerokoari buruzko jarrera negatiboek eta hilerokoa duten edo izango duten emakumeei buruzko estereotipoek sexismoa areagotu dezaketela.…”

“…Gainera ikertzaileek frogatu dute, alde batetik, hilerokoari buruzko jarrera negatiboek eta hilerokoa duten edo izango duten emakumeei buruzko estereotipoek sexismoa areagotu dezaketela. Bestetik, sexismoak berak ere hilerokoari buruzko jarrera negatiboagoak areagotu ditzake (Marvan, Vazquez-Toboada & Chrisler, 2014). Jarrera negatibo horiek, ordea, ez dute zertan banakakoaren eraikuntza soila izan eta maila sozialagoan egon daitezke iltzatuta.…”

Understanding menstruation: Influence of gender and ideological factors. A study of young people's social representations

“…Starting from the social context that has just been described, feminist academics have highlighted that sexism may also contribute to negative attitudes towards menstruating women (Chrisler, Gorman, Marván, & Johnston-Robledo, 2014; Marván, Vazquez-Toboada, & Chrisler, 2014). In fact, at an inter-group level, men have reported more negative attitudes than women about menstruation and have been more likely to believe that it is a source of danger and stigma (Chrisler et al., 2014; Heard & Chrisler, 1999; Marván, Cortés-Iniestra, & Gonzalez, 2005; Peranovic & Bentley, 2017; Wong et al., 2013).…”

“…Finally, studies of the influence of attitudes on the individual have been carried out (Chrisler & Johnston-Robledo, 2000; Forbes, Adams-Curtis, White, & Holmgren, 2003; Roberts, Goldenberg, Power, & Pyszczynski, 2002). A review of the most important recent attitudinal studies (Marván et al., 2017) revealed that negative attitudes toward menstruation predict, at the individual level, more severe menstrual and premenstrual distress (Marván et al., 2014), a greater tendency toward self-objectification (Grose & Grabe, 2014; Johnston-Robledo et al., 2007), a more negative body image (Chrisler et al., 2015) and beliefs that menstruating women cannot carry out certain daily activities (Marván, Ramírez-Esparza, Cortés-Iniestra, & Chrisler, 2006).…”