The experience of menarche.

A survey methodology was used to examine girls' reactions to menarche and the subsequent effects of this experience as a function of preparation for and timing of menarche. A questionnaire including measures of responses to first menstruation, current symptoms, and self-image was completed by 639 public school girls at 3 grade levels: 5-6, 7-8, and 11-12. In addition, 120 premenarcheal fifth and sixth graders were followed longitudinally, half of whom were recruited from the public school sample and half from Girl Scout troops in the area. Girls' reactions to menarche reflected mixed emotional reactions, immediate though not subsequent concern with secrecy, and moderate though not debilitating or restrictive symptomatology. Girls who were unprepared or reached menarche early were more likely than average maturers to be negative on these measures. Based on the overall pattern of results, we suggest that, initially, menarche may create inconvenience, ambivalence, and confusion, particularly for early-maturing and unprepared girls, but that it may not be as traumatic as portrayed in previous articles.