Ovulation, In Vivo Emotion Regulation Problems, and Sexual Risk Recognition Deficits

Abstract

Objective To examine associations between menstrual cycle phase, negative mood, sexual risk recognition deficits (assessed via an analogue risk vignette), and in vivo emotion dysregulation. Participants Participants were 714 college women recruited between February 2007 and December 2009. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to a negative or neutral mood induction and instructed to identify sexual risk during an audiotaped sexual coercion vignette. Participants reported menstrual cycle information, in vivo emotional nonacceptance, and attention during the vignette. Results In the negative mood condition, ovulation was associated with longer risk recognition latencies relative to the luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. Increased in vivo emotional nonacceptance and decreased attention to the vignette mediated associations between ovulation and risk recognition deficits in the negative mood condition. Conclusions Sexual assault risk reduction programs could provide psychoeducation regarding negative mood during ovulation and emphasize emotional acceptance and attention to external stimuli when distressed.

Do women expose themselves to more health-related risks in certain phases of the menstrual cycle? A meta-analytic review

“…Concerning direct avoidance, a series of studies revealed that at high fertility, women evaluated men's sexual coerciveness (watching interview of men trying to attract other women) as more coercive that females in low-fertility days of the cycle (Garver-Apgar, Gangestad & Simpson 2007). Women in high-fertility phase were also more sensitive to snake detection (Masataka & Shibasaki, 2012), to sexual assault scenarios, measured by handgrip strength (Petralia & Gallup, 2002), had lower risk-recognition latencies (Walsh & DiLillo, 2013), and perceived a violent criminal as larger and stronger as a non-violent criminal control (Fessler, Holbrook & Fleischman 2014).…”