Cohort study, 2017
Is acceptance therapy (ACT) more effective than other treatments for PMS?
Yes, for stress. ACT reduced emotional PMS symptoms and perceived stress more than cognitive behavioral therapy or no treatment, with stress improvements lasting at follow-up.
What they did
Researchers randomly assigned 21 women with PMS into three equal groups: acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and a control group with no treatment. ACT and CBT groups attended 10 therapy sessions twice weekly. Stress, emotional symptoms, and attitudes toward menstruation were measured immediately after treatment and again about one month later.
What they found
The emotional symptom component of PMS decreased significantly more in ACT and CBT groups compared to control. Attitudes toward menstruation improved in the ACT group (not significantly) and in the CBT group (significantly at follow-up). Perceived stress decreased significantly more in the ACT group than in both control and CBT groups, and this improvement was maintained at follow-up.
What it means for you
ACT may be particularly effective for reducing stress and emotional symptoms of PMS compared to standard therapy. The main limitation is the very small sample size of only 21 women total, so findings need confirmation in larger studies.
21
participants (7 per group)
10
therapy sessions per group
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(ACT) on Premenstrual Symptoms, Attitudes about Menstruation, and Perceived Stress of Women with Premenstrual Syndrome
- Authors
- Min-Jung Jung, Mi-Ok La, ChongNak Son
- Journal
- Journal of Digital Convergence
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 263
- What was tested
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.14400/jdc.2017.15.1.485
Topics
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