Effects of the menstrual cycle and neuroticism on women's sadness emotion and physiological responses based on an emotion-inducing experiment

To investigate the diversity of experiences of sadness emotion and physiological responses among female college students with high neuroticism (HN) and low neuroticism (LN) during the late luteal phase (LLP) and early follicular phase (EFP).

Forty-two participants were classified as the HN group and 41 as the LN group based on their neuroticism score (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Scale for Chinese). Participants watched sadness-inducing experimental films during the LLP and EFP.

The HN group showed similar sadness intensities in both phases. The LN group showed higher sadness intensity in the LLP than the EFP. The LN group's sadness scale assessments were lower than the HN group in both phases. The blood volume pulse in the HN group fell in both the LLP and EFP (both P < .001). The root mean square standard deviation of NN intervals rose in the EFP in the HN group before and after watching experimental films (P = .027), but fell in the LN group (P > .05). Between-group comparisons showed heart rate was significantly lower in the HN group than the LN group during EFP (P = .009), but there were no statistically significant differences in subjective experience and physiological data during LLP. The HN group had stronger sadness feelings and greater sadness arousal than the LN group during EFP. There were significant associations between menstrual cycle-related changes in sadness ratings and changes in physiological outcomes.

Women with HN have less fluctuation in sadness than those with LN during the menstrual cycle, but experience strong sadness feelings in the LLP. Women with HN show stronger physiological responses in the EFP than those with LN, and have the highest responses in the LLP.