| Abstract [eng] |
Higher School Students’ Attitudes to Menstruation SUMMARY Menstruation is a multidimensional object of both scientific and parascientific inquiry. The present study examines higher school students’ attitudes to menstruation, purposing to analyse them within the context of Lithuanian traditional understanding of menstruation. Investigation involved 234 female students aged from 17 to 26 (mean age 19.9) years. The participants were divided into 3 groups by their menarcheal age, that is early (before 12.6), on time (between 12.6 and 14.6), and late (after 14.6) maturing girls. Moreover, the study cohort was divided into 2 groups basing upon the presence/absence of a pre-menarcheal conversation with the mother on the topic of menstruation. Participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire survey form worked out on the basis of instrument created by American psychologists J. Brooks-Gunn and D. N. Ruble (1980), and to answer the following 3 additional questions provided at the end of the questionnaire form, that is what is your age? when did your have your first period? had you discussed with your mother the topic of menses before you had your first period? Evidence elicited from Lithuanian students was compared with the findings produced by a previous study involving British and Indian students. Lithuanian students’ attitudes to menstruation were more similar to the ones demonstrated by British students. The study data were calculated with the help of a Student-t criterion applicable to independent samples. The findings corroborated our hypothesis that the attitudes of early-, on time-, and late-maturers differed. Early-maturers, compared to the on time- and late-ones, supported the statements that menstruation was a debilitating and a bothersome event. On time-maturers, compared to the early- or late-ones agreed with the statements that menstruation was a natural event. Late-maturers were the ones who gave the biggest support to PMS. On time-maturers, compared to the early- or late-ones, agreed with the statements that menstruation did not affect woman’s mental and physical performance. The hypothesis that the presence/absence of pre-menarcheal conversation with the mother affected daughters’ attitude to menstruation was corroborated. Those who did speak with their mothers, and those who didn’t supported similarly the idea that menstruation was a debilitating and bothersome event. Their opinions on statements supporting the PMS existence were also similar. Statistically significant difference was revealed in terms of statement that menstruation was a natural event: those girls who spoke with their mothers before their first period supported the above statement stronger. Absolute denial of any effect of menstruation was more obvious in the groups of girls who spoke with their mothers. Thus, both the timing of maturation and the presence/absence of a pre-menarcheal conversation with the mother affect young women’s attitudes to menstruation. |
