Anxiety, depression and perseverative cognition in women cycling naturally or taking oral contraceptives – a diary study
Anxiety, depression and perseverative cognition in women cycling naturally or taking oral contraceptives – a diary study
StatusPost-Print
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Authors
Kowalczyk, Melanie
Kornacka, Monika
Krejtz, Izabela
Monograph
Monograph (alternative title)
Date
2025-10-14
Publisher
Journal title
BMC Psychology
Issue
1
Volume
13
Pages
Pages
1-13
ISSN
2050-7283
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Access date
2025-10-21
Abstract PL
Abstract EN
Background
While the literature is inconsistent about the link between anxiety and oral contraceptives (OC), the link between depression and OC is recognized in women who started OC during adolescence. Perseverative cognition is a stress-coping mechanism present both in anxiety and depression. Our study aimed to understand the differences between women taking OC and naturally cycling (NC) women regarding their daily levels of anxiety, depression, related negative factors (perseverative cognition and stress), and protective factors (self-esteem and life satisfaction).
Methods
The study was conducted on 89 adult women (M age = 26.60, SD = 4.65) (48 – OC; 41 – NC) who participated in a 15-day online diary study divided into 3 phases throughout one menstrual cycle. The women using OC were further classified according to the androgenicity of their OC (androgenic and anti-androgenic). The participants were sent an email in the evening with questionnaires they had to complete on the same day. The daily measures were taken from existing trait-level scales and adapted for daily administration. The analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling, with a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results
There were no differences between groups in daily levels of anxiety, perseverative cognition, and stress. However, anti-androgenic OC users had higher levels of daily depression than NC women in the three menstrual cycle phases tested for, while androgenic OC users had higher levels of daily depression than NC women in two phases. Both groups of women taking OC had lower levels of daily self-esteem than NC women in all three phases. Androgenic OC users had higher daily satisfaction with life than anti-androgenic OC users in one testing phase.
Conclusions
OC users had higher daily levels of depression and lower daily levels of self-esteem than NC women. Future studies could explore the link between depression and the different types of OC in adult women, especially with longitudinal methods.
Abstract other
Keywords PL
Keywords EN
Anxiety
Depression
Menstrual cycle
Oral contraceptives
Daily diary
Perseverative cognition
Self-esteem
Satisfaction with life
Depression
Menstrual cycle
Oral contraceptives
Daily diary
Perseverative cognition
Self-esteem
Satisfaction with life
Keywords other
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The relationship between the menstrual cycle, anxiety and cognitive functioning – moderating role of oral contraceptives
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