Direct and Indirect Effects of Stress and Self-Esteem on Primary Dysmenorrhea in Korean Adolescent Girls: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Background: Positive and negative emotions have recently revealed a link with primary dysmenorrhea in adults. Among them, roles of stress and self-esteem have been less studied specially in adolescents and the direction of causality has not been clearly established. Therefore, this study investigated whether stress and self-esteem independently affect primary dysmenorrhea after adjustment for the known risk factors in adolescents. Additionally, indirect effects of stress and self-esteem were determined using mediation analyses.

Methods: This survey was conducted in adolescent girls aged 15-18 yr in metropolitan regions in South Korea in 2021. The survey included general, menstrual, and lifestyle characteristics, menstrual pain and symptom, perceived stress, self-esteem, depression, and state-trait anxiety.

Results: Stress, depression, and anxiety were associated positively with menstrual pain and symptom (all <0.001) in adolescent girls (n=519). Self-esteem was also associated inversely with negative emotions and dysmenorrhea (all <0.001). Additionally, stress independently affected frequency and severity of menstrual symptom (both <0.05), but not pain intensity after adjustment for covariates. Stress also had indirect effect through depression and anxiety on menstrual pain and symptom. Effect of self-esteem vanished after adjustment for covariates, but indirectly reduced menstrual pain and symptom through mediations of stress, depression, and anxiety.

Conclusion: Mental health such as stress and self-esteem are important for managing menstrual pain and symptom in adolescents. It should be considered in managing dysmenorrhea.