| Abstract: | Twenty‐four women with a diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and 18 controls took part in a study of patterns of female aggression. They completed a version of the Conflict Tactics Scale for a premenstrual and a follicular phase of their menstrual cycle and for the past year. The Life History of Aggression was completed during a clinician interview. The women used more aggressive tactics to solve conflicts in the premenstrual than in the follicular phase, but the difference was only significant for the PMDD group. During the past year, reasoning was the most common strategy used by women to resolve conflicts, but verbal aggression was also prevalent. Although physical violence was less common, the prevalence of any act of violence was 33% in the controls and 62% in the clinical group. Women with PMDD used both verbal and physical aggression more frequently than the controls and had a higher lifetime history of aggression. Aggression by women toward partners was associated with a general tendency to act aggressively. Aggr. Behav. 29:228–238, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. |
