Cognitive appraisal of the menopause: The menopause representations questionnaire (MRQ)

This study describes the development of the Menopause Representations Questionnaire (MRQ), which, based on Leventhal's self-regulation model (Leventhal et al., 1984), samples a range of cognitions about menopause, including identity, consequences, time frame and perceptions of control and cure. Items were derived from a qualitative interview study of 45 women aged 49-51. Identity included attributions of general symptoms as well as hot flushes and menstrual changes; positive and negative consequences were evident, as were both short and long time lines. The MRQ was given to a sample of 80 women aged 49-56 years. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were reasonable. Perceptions of control/cure were negatively associated with depressed mood (Women's Health Questionnaire, WHQ; Hunter, 1992), and perceptions of negative consequences were associated with medical help-seeking.