Childhood trauma severity and menstruation myths in relation to menstrual practice needs among emerging adult women in Türkiye: an exploratory cross-sectional study
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey
- 2Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Disease, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey
Abstract
Background: Menstrual health is shaped not only by biological factors but also by psychosocial and sociocultural influences. Childhood trauma has been associated with adverse reproductive and menstrual outcomes; however, little is known about how early life adversity relates to women’s menstrual experiences, particularly during emerging adulthood, when the consequences of childhood trauma may influence health and well-being. This study aimed to examine the associations between childhood trauma severity, endorsement of menstruation myths, and menstrual practice needs among emerging-adult women.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included women aged 18–26 years recruited from obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinics in Central Anatolia, Türkiye (N = 103). Childhood trauma severity was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–33 (CTQ-33; higher scores indicate greater trauma severity). Menstrual practice needs were measured using the Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS; higher scores indicate better met needs), and menstruation-related myths were measured using the Menstruation Myths Scale (MMS; higher scores indicate stronger myth endorsement). Partial correlations, hierarchical linear regression, and an exploratory indirect-effect analysis were conducted, controlling for education, employment, child status, and CTQ minimization/denial.
Results: CTQ-33 scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores (partial r = − .28, p = .005) and positively associated with MMS scores (partial r = .36, p < .001). In addition, MMS scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores (partial r = -.38, p < .001). In hierarchical regression, CTQ-33 scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores; after adding MMS, this association attenuated and became non-significant, whereas MMS remained a significant negative predictor (B = − 0.011, p = .002; BCa 95% CI [-0.018, -0.004]). An exploratory indirect-effect model showed a significant statistical indirect association through MMS scores (B = − 0.0034, 95% bootstrap CI [− 0.0063, − 0.0008]).
Conclusions: Menstruation myths may represent a potentially modifiable proximal correlate of menstrual practice needs in emerging adult women, whereas childhood trauma severity may reflect a more distal developmental vulnerability. Clinicians may incorporate brief, nonjudgmental questions about menstruation-related myths, shame, communication barriers, and privacy when assessing menstrual health, especially when childhood adversity is known or suspected. Future community-based and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these relationships.
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BibTeX
@article{tayarer2026childhood,
title = {{Childhood trauma severity and menstruation myths in relation to menstrual practice needs among emerging adult women in Türkiye: an exploratory cross-sectional study}},
author = {Aybüke Tayarer and Sarper İçen},
journal = {BMC Women's Health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12905-026-04792-6},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04792-6},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Childhood trauma severity and menstruation myths in relation to menstrual practice needs among emerging adult women in Türkiye: an exploratory cross-sectional study
AU - Aybüke Tayarer
AU - Sarper İçen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/13
JO - BMC Women's Health
DO - 10.1186/s12905-026-04792-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04792-6
AB - Background: Menstrual health is shaped not only by biological factors but also by psychosocial and sociocultural influences. Childhood trauma has been associated with adverse reproductive and menstrual outcomes; however, little is known about how early life adversity relates to women’s menstrual experiences, particularly during emerging adulthood, when the consequences of childhood trauma may influence health and well-being. This study aimed to examine the associations between childhood trauma severity, endorsement of menstruation myths, and menstrual practice needs among emerging-adult women. Methods: This cross-sectional study included women aged 18–26 years recruited from obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinics in Central Anatolia, Türkiye (N = 103). Childhood trauma severity was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–33 (CTQ-33; higher scores indicate greater trauma severity). Menstrual practice needs were measured using the Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS; higher scores indicate better met needs), and menstruation-related myths were measured using the Menstruation Myths Scale (MMS; higher scores indicate stronger myth endorsement). Partial correlations, hierarchical linear regression, and an exploratory indirect-effect analysis were conducted, controlling for education, employment, child status, and CTQ minimization/denial. Results: CTQ-33 scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores (partial r = − .28, p = .005) and positively associated with MMS scores (partial r = .36, p < .001). In addition, MMS scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores (partial r = -.38, p < .001). In hierarchical regression, CTQ-33 scores were negatively associated with MPNS scores; after adding MMS, this association attenuated and became non-significant, whereas MMS remained a significant negative predictor (B = − 0.011, p = .002; BCa 95% CI [-0.018, -0.004]). An exploratory indirect-effect model showed a significant statistical indirect association through MMS scores (B = − 0.0034, 95% bootstrap CI [− 0.0063, − 0.0008]). Conclusions: Menstruation myths may represent a potentially modifiable proximal correlate of menstrual practice needs in emerging adult women, whereas childhood trauma severity may reflect a more distal developmental vulnerability. Clinicians may incorporate brief, nonjudgmental questions about menstruation-related myths, shame, communication barriers, and privacy when assessing menstrual health, especially when childhood adversity is known or suspected. Future community-based and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these relationships.
SN - 1472-6874
ER -