Hair cortisol concentration, psychological distress and resilience in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and premenstrual syndrome

Abstract Objectives Women frequently experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which can lead to both physical symptoms and severe psychological distress that can impact daily functioning. Also, these women may be exposed to chronic stress, for which hair cortisol concentration (HCC) serves as a potential biomarker. In the present study, the relationship between HCC, psychological distress and resilience in women with PMDD and PMS were evaluated. Methods A total of 80 women older than 18 years ages and menstruating regularly for at least two years participated in this study. Sociodemographic characteristics and menstrual cycle features were self-reported by all participants. Premenstrual syndrome symptoms were assessed with the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST). Resilience, perceived stress, depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness were evaluated using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) and UCLA Loneliness Scale. HCC was measured using ELISA. Results Participants of study were divided into three groups based on PSST as follows: PMDD (n = 20, 25 %), PMS (n = 25, 31.3 %), and control (n = 35, 43.8 %). In the PMDD group, perceived stress and anxiety were higher compared to the control group and anxiety scores were higher than the PMS group. Out of the three groups, HCC had negative moderate correlation with resilience scores only in the PMDD group (r = −0.509, p = 0.022). Conclusions Women with PMDD experience severe affective symptoms and exhibit higher resilience as HCC concentrations decrease. These findings highlighted that enhancing resilience through psychological support could be a beneficial intervention for the PMDD group.