The Influence of the menstrual cycle on academic performance of adult females at university of Zambia.
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Date
2018
Authors
Kasonde-Ng’andu, Sophie
Hara, Esther
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The major purpose of the study was to find out the influence of the menstrual cycle on academic
performance. The qualitative research design was used. The participants were purposefully sampled.
Thus, from all the students who were in the Bachelor of Education Primary (B.Ed. Primary) Programme,
only those taking ISE 282: Current Issues in Social Studies were included as participants because the
course had the highest number (21) of female students who were all included as participants. A
questionnaire, focus group discussion guide and assessment items specifically; a test and an assignment
were given at different times within the semester while the examination was given at the end of the
semester. Descriptive statistics were used and data was analysed thematically. The major findings were
that the majority of the participants who performed well in the assessment items were in the phase -
After Menstruation - of the menstrual cycle and this is the phase when the participants were emotionally
stable, while the majority of those who performed poorly were in the phase - Before Menstruation - of
the menstrual cycle a phase when they were emotionally unstable. The major conclusion is that the
second stage of the menstrual cycle - After Menstruation - seemed to positively influence academic
performance while the last stage of the menstrual cycle - Before Menstruation - seemed to negatively
influence academic performance in terms of marks/grades obtained. It is therefore recommended that
adult female students should be taking advantage of the - After Menstruation - menstrual phase by
maximising their academic involvement as the phase seemed to enhance academic performance.
Description
Article
Keywords
Menstrual cycle. , Academic performance--Menstrual cycle--Zambia. , Emotional state--Menstrual cycle-Adult females.