Doctoral Dissertations
Date of Award
12-1989
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Major Professor
Gene A. Hayes
Abstract
Myths, confusion, and misconceptions have surrounded the female menstrual cycle for generations. Some researchers have suggested that a young girl's preparation for, initial experience of menarche, and attitudes can be influenced by the role modeling her mother portrays during adolescence. In recent years as females have increased their participation in exercise and athletics, abnormalities in menstrual cycles have become more common in active women.
The purpose of this study was to study mothers and daughters for similarities in menstrual cycle knowledge, physical characteristics of the cycles, product usage, and attitudes.
Seventy-seven college-age women volunteered to participate in this study. The mothers of these students were contacted through the mail. Sixty responded to the survey for a 77.92% response rate.
The daughters and mothers were surveyed using the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ) developed by Jeanne Brooks-Gunn and Diane Ruble in 1977 and a personal menstrual history questionnaire devised by this researcher.
The data were categorized into two groups (1) daughters and (2) mothers. The MAQ questions were combined into the five pre-established dimensions recommended by Brook-Gunn vi and Ruble: Dimension I - menstruation as a psychological and physically debilitating event, Dimension II - menstruation as a bothersome event, Dimension III - menstruation as a natural event. Dimension IV - menstruation as an anticipatory and predictable event, and Dimension V - denial of any effect of menstruation.
Analysis of variance was performed on the dimensions with the .05 level of significance. The personal menstrual data were calculated with simple frequencies and percentages.
The results were that daughters and mothers were similar in menstrual data, and in dimensions IV and V. Daughters and mothers were found to be different in dimensions I, II, and III.
Recommended Citation
Dewald, Lori Lynn, "Attitudes of mothers and daughters regarding the female menstrual cycle. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1989.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/11639
