Mapping the abject: Women's embodied experiences of premenstrual body dissatisfaction through body-mapping

Women's body shame and dissatisfaction increase in the premenstrual phase of cycle, associated with distress. However, meaning consequences remain underexplored. The aim this study was to explore how women who report construct experience their bodies, using qualitative arts-based methods. Four hundred sixty completed online open-ended survey questions 16 took part body-mapping an interview. Thematic analysis identified three major themes: construction as abject, manifested by positioning self fat, leaking dirty; self-policing self-regulation through increased scrutinising concealment body; resistance cultural constructions idealised femininity. These findings emphasise need acknowledge changes across menstrual implication for women's feelings about self. Internalisation negative female plays a role change There is further research examine management behaviours