How Premenstrual Syndrome Affects Body Awareness and Emotional Performance in Collegiate Female Athletes?

Throughout the menstrual cycle, hormonal fluctuations can significantly influence both the physical and psychological processes of female athletes. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition that affects physical and emotional functions and can impact daily activities and athletic performance. The physical and emotional changes associated with PMS may alter female athletes' performance-related emotional states and their perception of their bodies. This cross-sectional and observational study aimed to examine the effects of PMS on body awareness and performance-related emotional states in collegiate female athletes. A total of 412 collegiate female athletes participated in the study. Demographic information was collected using a demographic data form. The presence of PMS was assessed with the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), performance-related emotional states were measured using the Continuous Optimal Performance Emotional State Scale-2 (COPESS-2), and body awareness was evaluated with the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ). The results revealed a statistically significant difference in COPESS-2 total and subscale scores between athletes with and without PMS (p<0.05). A negative correlation was found between PMSS scores and COPESS-2 total and subscale scores (p<0.05), while a positive correlation was observed between BAQ scores and COPESS-2 total and subscale scores (p<0.05). These findings suggest that PMS has a considerable impact on the performance-related emotional states of female athletes, and increasing PMS severity may be associated with reductions in both performance mood and body awareness. Understanding the influence of PMS on optimal performance, emotional regulation, and body awareness is crucial for supporting the health and performance of young female athletes.