Some relationships between perceived control and women’s reported coping strategies for menopausal hot flushes

Objectives: This questionnaire study compared the patterns of reported coping strategies of women high and low in perceived control over hot flushes. Method: A volunteer sample of 38 women fully completed a postal questionnaire. Perceived control was measured by a standardised scale (Reynolds 1997a) and respondents provided qualitative accounts of coping. Results: Consonant with previous findings that higher perceived control is associated with lower distress, the data indicated that women high in self-rated perceived control tended to describe more numerous coping strategies to manage both the physical and socio-emotional discomfort of flush episodes. Preventive strategies were infrequently adopted in both groups. However, the links between distress, control and coping were complex and subject to several influences. Those feeling low in control tended to report rather more numerous flushes (although the differences did not quite reach significance). Also qualitative analysis of coping strategies suggested that it is not always coping behaviour per se that differentiates more and less distressed women, but attitudes towards these behaviours. A coping strategy (such as wearing cotton fabrics) that seems satisfactory to one woman may fundamentally challenge the body-image of another, increasing distress by making her feel drab and different from her pre-menopausal self. Also women often make reference to situational influences on their coping choices. Conclusion: The data support further enquiry into the role of psychological interventions to enhance strategies for coping with hot flushes