Abstract

PIP: The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was administered to 67 young sexually active women who were attending a family planning clinic for the 1st time. A discriminant function analysis indicated that users of oral contraceptives (n = 15) had higher scores on the Depression and Fatigue subscales of the POMS than nonusers (n = 52), who had higher anger-hostility scores. There is no way to tell from this study whether the increased fatigue and lessened anger were due to psychosocial or pharmacological causes. Users were significantly older and of higher occupational status than nonusers, and it could not be determined whether users were in the mood state before beginning oral contraceptive use or whether it developed during use.