Randomised trial, 2002
Does therapy work as well as an antidepressant for PMDD, and does combining them work better?
Both therapy and antidepressant work well for PMDD with no difference in results after 6 months. Therapy maintains its effects better after treatment ends. Combining them does not help more than either one alone.
What they did
60 women with PMDD received one of three treatments for 6 months: cognitive behavior therapy (10 sessions), fluoxetine (20 mg daily), or both. Researchers measured symptoms before and after treatment and again 1 year later.
What they found
All three treatments significantly improved PMDD after 6 months. Fluoxetine worked faster at the start. When measured 1 year after treatment ended, women who had received therapy alone maintained their improvement better than those who had received only fluoxetine. There was no extra benefit from combining therapy and fluoxetine.
What it means for you
Women with PMDD can choose between therapy and fluoxetine depending on preferences and circumstances. Fluoxetine works faster initially, but therapy may have longer-lasting effects. Combining both treatments does not add extra benefit and may not be worth the extra cost and burden. The study was relatively small, so more research is needed.
60 women
sample size who completed treatment
6 months
treatment duration
10 sessions
therapy sessions provided
About the study
- Original title
- A randomized comparison of psychological (cognitive behavior therapy), medical (fluoxetine) and combined treatment for women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Hunter MS, Ussher JM, Browne SJ et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2002
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Cognitive behavior therapy (10 sessions), fluoxetine (20 mg daily), or both for 6 months
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/01674820209074672
Topics
Related studies
Review, 2024
What are the most effective treatments for PMDD?
Review, 2017
What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments?
Review, 2015
What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated?
Systematic review, 2012
How effective are cognitive-behavioral therapy and antidepressants for PMS and PMDD?
Review, 2011
What are PMS and PMDD, and how common are they?
Survey study, 2025
How are PMS and PMDD diagnosed and treated?