The effect of cognitive behavioural psycho-education on premenstrual syndrome and related symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a distressing group of symptoms related to menstrual cycle during reproductive age. Its substantial burden on daily function and quality of life, particularly on mental aspects, was to the impetus for this study with the aim of determining the effectiveness of a psycho-educational package on premenstrual syndrome and related symptoms. In a randomized clinical trial, 123 (17-19-year-old) adolescent girls with PMS were randomized to psycho-educational intervention (including 62 subjects) and control (including 61) groups. The participants completed a demographic questionnaire, premenstrual syndrome symptom daily record scale and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). A paired and two independent samples t-test and chi-squared test were used for analysing data using SPSS statistical package. At the end of the study there was statistically significant decrease in severity of total PMS in intervention compared with control group (P < 0.001). Also, a significant difference in somatization, anxiety and hostility was observed between two groups (P < 0.05). However, depression marginally decreased (P < 0.1) in intervention group, and interpersonal sensitivity was not statistically different between intervention and control groups. Intervention alleviated the severity of PMS and related somatization, anxiety and hostility, yet it could not change the severity of depression and interpersonal sensitivity.