Women’s Health
The Association Between Period Pain and Pain Catastrophizing on Academic and Daily Life Disruptions in Undergraduate Students Madalynn Gilpin* Madalynn Gilpin Gilpin Gilpin Gilpin Merrimack College
Background & Objective-Studies consistently report high rates of period pain among undergraduate women (63–80%), underscoring its burden. Pain catastrophizing (PCS) is linked to greater pain intensity, distress, and functional impairment in conditions such as menstrual pain. This study examined the association between pain catastrophizing and its impact on daily and academic functioning.
Methods- In this cross-sectional study, we recruited college undergraduate students aged 18–25 who reported menstrual periods and moderate or severe pelvic pain in the past six months. Between February and May 2025, participants completed a questionnaire on demographics, pelvic pain, and medication use. PCS was measured using the 13-item Pain Catastrophizing Scale and summed to create a total score between 0 and 52. We assessed daily life and academic interference due to period pain, categorized as somewhat/quite a bit/very much vs. never/a little bit. We used logistic regression to assess associations between academic and daily life interference due to pelvic pain and PCS scores, adjusting for age, period pain severity, and pain and hormone medication use.
Results– Among 100 participants, the mean age was 20.2 years (standard deviation: 1.24), and the majority were of the white race (87.6%). Higher PCS scores were associated with reduced enjoyment of social activities (OR: 1.58; 95%CI: 1.24-2.01 per 5 unit increase in PCS), suboptimal exam performance (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.19-1.89 per 5 unit increase in PCS), and reduced participation in social activities (OR: 1.44; 95%CI: 1.15-1.80 per 5 unit increase in PCS). Results for all daily life and academic interference are shown in Figure 1.
Conclusion– Higher pain catastrophizing was associated with greater period pain-related interference across daily life and academic domains, independent of period pain severity, highlighting the need to address psychological factors to reduce pain interference.
