The Menstrual Cycle-Response and Developmental Affective-Risk Model: A multilevel and integrative model of influence.

An integrative developmental model is presented in which menstrual cycle-related symptoms are hypothesized to result in a cascade of developmental challenges that contribute to increased affective symptoms among adolescent girls, and to long-term developmental sequelae. To provide the basis for this model a broad foundation is developed considering (a) psychological symptoms and disorders associated with reproductive events across the life span, and (b) the many and complicated effects that female reproductive steroids (estrogen & progesterone) have which trigger a variety of physical and psychological changes that are commonly associated with the menstrual cycle. The Menstrual Cycle-Response and Developmental Affective-Risk Model is driven by 3 central concepts: (a) individual differences in response to steroids are very large and thus require analysis of individual response, rather than group-level tendencies; (b) the menstrual cycle itself represents an important and complex set of biological, physical, psychological, behavioral, and social changes, and should not be studied exclusively as changing steroid levels; and (c) the effects of the menstrual cycle during adolescence and early adulthood may have long-term developmental consequences. This model integrates specific effects of the menstrual cycle with contextual and social developmental variables, and with past theoretical models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).