ABSTRACT

There has developed a belief, supported by a great deal of research, that all women experience some degree of menstrual cycle variation in mood, performance, and sexual interest. The most common explanation for this reporting of cyclical change is that hormonal levels determine the variation. Very few studies are able to provide comparative measures against which the strength of menstrual cycle changes can be compared. The chapter presents a study that provides a comparison of the effect of the menstrual cycle with the social week. The study identifies the pattern of menstrual cycle change in normal woman who prospectively record their mood, sexual interest, and self-assessed performance using an instrument that allows equal opportunity to record positive and negative experiences. A daily self-report questionnaire was designed using polar opposite adjective scales to allow equal likelihood of positive and negative experiences being reported.