"Guilt and shame":the impact of parenting with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Background: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe hormone-based mood disorder that causes debilitating psychological symptoms in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The UK PMDD research agenda highlights the wider impact of PMDD on life as a research priority. One area identified by stakeholders was the impact on parenting and early years development of children. This aligns with the priorities of the UK, Scottish Government and Welsh Government’s Women’s Health strategies, however, has not been addressed by any previous research. The aim of our study was to explore the impact PMDD has on mothers and their children, and identify research questions to be addressed. <br/><br/>Methods: Three methods were employed, including: (1) three creative arts-based workshops with eight mothers with PMDD to co-produce research areas; (2) qualitative semi-structured interviews with the same 8 mothers, analysed using thematic analysis; and (3) a co-produced online survey to explore the impact of impaired cognition on parenting while living with PMDD. <br/><br/>Results: The workshops highlighted strong themes of suicidality, and feelings of guilt and shame while parenting. Mothers described isolating themselves while symptomatic for fear of harming their children (physically or emotionally), leading to inconsistent parenting and fears of how this impacted their children’s wellbeing. They described the dismissal and exhaustion of trying to obtain a diagnosis, which led them to avoid seeking further support for fear of being judged by others such as schools or other services. Findings from our interview and survey phase will be ready for March 2025. <br/><br/>Conclusions and Implications: PMDD has a detrimental impact on parenting behaviours and potentially may impact the health behaviour of children. Our research highlights initial priorities to take forward, with the potential to inform policy and practice in relation to multiple services including: health; early years education; parenting support; welfare system; and more. <br/>