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Social abilities and gender roles in adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome — a pilot study
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Abstract
Introduction: Clinical and hormonal features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which may be present already in adolescence, cansignificantly influence the psychological development and wellbeing of a young woman.The aim of this pilot study was to determine social competence and gender roles in adolescent girls with PCOS compared to healthy peers, and to evaluate the relationship between psychological profile and clinical and hormonal components of PCOS.
Material and methods: In 28 adolescent girls with PCOS, and 12 healthy regularly menstruating girls, clinical evaluation and hormonal profile were assessed and social competence inventory (SCI) and psychological gender inventory (PGI) tests were performed.
Results: There were no significant differences in all parts of SCI in absolute numbers or in sten scores between the study and the control group. Also in PGI, in both the feminine and masculine gender schemes, the differences between the groups were statistically insignificant. In the study group, DHEAS concentration correlated positively with self presentation score (r = 0.4, p = 0.03). There was also a significant negative correlation between testosterone level and SCI score (r = –0.5, p = 0.01) as well as assertiveness score (r = –0.5, p = 0.02). Nosignificant correlations between SCI or PGI with BMI z-score or hirsutism score were found.
Conclusions: Despite the existence of clinical and biochemical features that can influence sociopsychological condition, in adolescent girls with PCOS, social abilities and sex-typical behaviours do not seem to be disturbed.
Abstract
Introduction: Clinical and hormonal features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which may be present already in adolescence, cansignificantly influence the psychological development and wellbeing of a young woman.The aim of this pilot study was to determine social competence and gender roles in adolescent girls with PCOS compared to healthy peers, and to evaluate the relationship between psychological profile and clinical and hormonal components of PCOS.
Material and methods: In 28 adolescent girls with PCOS, and 12 healthy regularly menstruating girls, clinical evaluation and hormonal profile were assessed and social competence inventory (SCI) and psychological gender inventory (PGI) tests were performed.
Results: There were no significant differences in all parts of SCI in absolute numbers or in sten scores between the study and the control group. Also in PGI, in both the feminine and masculine gender schemes, the differences between the groups were statistically insignificant. In the study group, DHEAS concentration correlated positively with self presentation score (r = 0.4, p = 0.03). There was also a significant negative correlation between testosterone level and SCI score (r = –0.5, p = 0.01) as well as assertiveness score (r = –0.5, p = 0.02). Nosignificant correlations between SCI or PGI with BMI z-score or hirsutism score were found.
Conclusions: Despite the existence of clinical and biochemical features that can influence sociopsychological condition, in adolescent girls with PCOS, social abilities and sex-typical behaviours do not seem to be disturbed.
Keywords
adolescent girls; polycystic ovary syndrome; gender role; social competences
About this articleTitle
Social abilities and gender roles in adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome — a pilot study
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original paper
Pages
189-194
Published online
2014-06-27
Page views
1848
Article views/downloads
2451
DOI
10.5603/EP.2014.0026
Bibliographic record
Endokrynol Pol 2014;65(3):189-194.
Keywords
adolescent girls
polycystic ovary syndrome
gender role
social competences
Authors
Agnieszka Zachurzok
Aneta Gawlik
Aleksandra Nowak
Agnieszka Drosdzol-Cop
Ewa Małecka-Tendera
