Date of Award:

5-1986

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Department name when degree awarded

Family and Human Development

Committee Chair(s)

Brent C. Miller

Committee

Brent C. Miller

Committee

Reed Gertsen

Committee

Kim Openshaw

Abstract

This research examined husband and wife attitudes toward menstruation and how these attitudes related to certain behaviors within marriage. The sample consisted of 48 Married couples, some living in Davis, California and some living in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Specifically, four objectives were pursued:

  1. Assess husbands' and wives' perceptions of how behaviors within marriage vary over the wives' menstrual cycles.
  2. Assess husbands' and wives' attitudes toward menstruation.
  3. Examine how husband's and wives' attitudes toward menstruation might be associated with perceptions of how behaviors within marriage vary over the wives' menstrual cycles.
  4. Examine how wives' perceptions of differences in behavior over the menstrual cycle are associated with their reporting of perceived menstrual symptomology.

It was discovered that husbands and wives had varying attitudes toward menstruation and these attitudes were related to their reporting of the occurrence of certain male and female behaviors within marriage. Husbands and wives who had more stereotypic attitudes toward menstruation reported greater behavior change in themselves and their spouses due to menstruation within marriage than those who had less stereotypic attitudes. In addition, the wives' reporting of menstrual symptomotology was related to their reporting of behavior change in marriage due to their menstrual period. Women who reported the greatest menstrual symptomotology also reported the greatest amount of behavior change within marriage due to menstruation.

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