MENARCHE STORIES: REMINISCENCES OF COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM LITHUANIA, MALAYSIA, SUDAN, AND THE UNITED STATES

• Published in: Health care for women international Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 303 - 312
• Main Authors: Chrisler, J C, Zittel, C B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.07.1998
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Body Image; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Emotions; Female; Health Education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Lithuania; Malaysia; Menarche - ethnology; Menarche - psychology; Nursing; Population; Students - psychology; Sudan; United States; Universities; Malaysia; Lithuania; United States; Sudan; Americas; Qualitative Evaluation; Eastern Europe; United States; Sudan; Menarche; Data Collection; Malaysia; Research Methodology; North America; Universities; Reproduction; Education; Research Report; Behavior; Lithuania; Interviews; Schools; Culture; Northern Africa; Evaluation; Arab Countries; Menstruation; Europe; Africa; Northern America; Developed Countries; Asia; Southeastern Asia; Psychological Factors > women; Students > women; Developing Countries; Puberty > women
• ISSN: 0739-9332; 1096-4665
• DOI: 10.1080/073993398246287

Women college students in four countries were invited to write the story of their first menstruation in as much detail as memory allowed. Stories were received from 26 Lithuanians, 27 Americans, 20 Malaysians, and 23 Sudanese. The stories were read and their contents analyzed for the presence or absence of information on such topics as emotional reaction, preparedness, sources of information about menstruation, changes in body image, and celebrations of this rite of passage. Similarities and differences among the groups are discussed, and passages from particularly interesting stories are quoted.