Sixty women attending a family planning clinic completed assessments of their attributions for negative and positive mood states for an individual at different menstrual cycle stages. Negative moods occurring premenstrually were almost invariably viewed as related to health factors. Positive moods tended to be attributed to environmental events and the person's lifestyle details. Personality tended to be used as an attribution for moods occurring intermenstrually. There was no association between attributional patterns and menstrual cycle complaints or attitudes to the menstrual cycle as measured by the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire. The results are discussed within the framework of the social cognition theory of menstrual cycle complaints.