Summary

The number of women of reproductive age that experience some symptoms attributed to the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle is elevated. To address this issue, Dr. Meir Steiner and Dr. Mary MacDougall at McMaster University, developed the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST). The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) is a validated, simple, user-friendly screening tool to identify women who suffer from severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

The instrument consists of 19 questions regarding how symptoms interfere with relationships and daily activities to quickly establish if a woman qualifies for PMS or PMDD. The PSST is less time consuming and more practical than many other available questionnaires and is also available in a version that is tailored to adolescents.

The PSST has been used in academic research, to monitor patients in clinical trials and observational studies. It can also be used as a screening instrument, for diagnostics and to track the progress of patients in practical settings.

To meet increasing demand for electronic versions of questionnaires, the PSST is available in electronic format as well as in hardcopy. MILO is working closely with translation companies to review electronic conversions of all questionnaires in its library. MILO is also continuing to increase the portfolio of validated translations for questionnaires.