Clinical Subtypes of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Among Chinese College Students: A Latent Class Analysis.

Objective: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is highly prevalent among women of reproductive age. However, the heterogeneity and complexity of PMDD symptoms present considerable challenges for accurate diagnosis. This study aims to investigate the heterogeneity of symptoms among Chinese female...

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Published in:Perspectives in Psychiatric Care Vol. 2026; pp. 1 - 10
Main Authors: Sun, Yu, Huang, Shanyi, Chen, Ying, Zhang, Qiao, Zhang, Yuqun, Bhardwaj, Parth
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell 5/15/2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 5/15/2026
      vid: 2026
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        193814381
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        10.1155/ppc/5276137
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        atl: Clinical Subtypes of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Among Chinese College Students: A Latent Class Analysis.
      aug:
        au:
          Sun, Yu
          Huang, Shanyi
          Chen, Ying
          Zhang, Qiao
          Zhang, Yuqun
          Bhardwaj, Parth
        affil: Health Care Clinic,, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine,, Nanjing, China, njucm.edu.cn
      sug:
        subj:
          Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Classification
          Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Psychosocial Factors
          Students, College Psychosocial Factors
          Chinese Persons Psychosocial Factors
          Women Psychosocial Factors
          Symptoms Classification
          Human
          Funding Source
          Female
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Surveys
          Students, Undergraduate
          Young Adult
          Coefficient alpha
          Test-Retest Reliability
          Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
          Summated Rating Scaling
          Questionnaires
          Scales
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          T-Tests
          One-Way Analysis of Variance
          Chi Square Test
          Post Hoc Analysis
          Structural Equation Modeling
          Emotional Lability
          Anxiety
          Fatigue
          Bloat
          Pain
          Dysmenorrhea
          Prevalence
          Female
      ab: Objective: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is highly prevalent among women of reproductive age. However, the heterogeneity and complexity of PMDD symptoms present considerable challenges for accurate diagnosis. This study aims to investigate the heterogeneity of symptoms among Chinese female college students to identify clinical subtypes based on PMDD symptomatology. Methods: A total of 669 Chinese female college students participated in the study and were assessed using a standardized set of questionnaires, including the Chinese version of CTDP‐DSM‐5 (CTDP‐C), the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), and the General Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7). A total of 218 participants were identified as PMDD‐positive based on the Chinese version of the CTDP‐DSM‐5. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted on the CTDP‐C scores of the 218 participants diagnosed with PMDD to empirically evaluate the validity of proposed PMDD subtype classifications. Results: LCA identified two distinct phenotypic subtypes of PMDD. Class 1 (severe subtype; mean CTDP‐C score = 8.78) was characterized by a range of comorbid psychological symptoms (e.g., emotional lability, irritability, and anxiety) as well as physical manifestations (e.g., fatigue, bloating, and pain). In contrast, Class 2 (mild subtype; mean CTDP‐C score = 1.52) exhibited attenuated and atypical symptoms. Notably, significant differences were observed between the two classes in 90% of the CTDP‐C items (p < 0.001). Physical comorbidities, especially dysmenorrhea (p < 0.001), were identified as key contributing factors, suggesting potential shared pathophysiological mechanisms. Conclusions: Two distinct subtypes of PMDD were identified: one characterized by severe symptoms and the other by milder manifestations, with either psychological or physical symptoms predominating, or a combination of both. Further investigation into the heterogeneity of PMDD is crucial to delineate more distinct phenotypes, which will facilitate advancements in future biological and genetic research.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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