title: A comparison of menstrual changes expected by pre-menarcheal adolescents and changes actually experienced by post-menarcheal adolescents in Mexico.
abstract: This survey explored para-menstrual changes that Mexican pre-menarcheal girls expect to experience and paramenstrual changes actually experienced by post-menarcheal girls. The survey included 95 pre-menarcheal girls who reported what they expected to experience in the para-menstruum, and their answers were compared with para-menstrual changes reported by 98 post-menarcheal girls. There were more post-menarcheal than pre-menarcheal girls who reported negative physical changes, while more pre-menarcheal girls expected to experience negative changes related to cognitive-emotional expressions. Regarding positive para-menstrual changes, despite the fact that hardly any of the girls named them, more post-menarcheal girls reported positive changes than pre-menarcheal girls who expected the changes. The dominant menstrual discourse concerning menstruation focused on para-menstrual negative changes, which can lead pre-menarcheal girls to anticipate their periods with fear and to overlook positive changes that may occur in the para-menstruum.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Psicología, Universidad de las Américas-Puebla, Ex-Hda Sta Catarina Martir s/n, Cholula, Puebla 72820, Mexico. mmarvan@mail.udlap.mx
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Marván
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Hernandez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*