Randomised trial, 2006
Does a brief consultation with a counselor help more than self-help materials alone for PMS?
Both helped reduce anxiety and life interference from PMS, but women who had a brief consultation with a counselor reported broader improvements, including less depression and better coping skills, though symptoms did not completely go away.
What they did
32 women with moderate PMS were randomly assigned to receive either self-help materials alone (11 completed) or self-help materials plus a brief face-to-face consultation with a clinician (9 completed). 14 women (7 in each group) were interviewed before and after.
What they found
Both groups reduced anxiety and life interference from PMS. The group that had a brief consultation reported additional improvements: significant reductions in depression, significant reductions in distress caused by PMS, and significant improvements in ability to cope with symptoms. All women still experienced some premenstrual changes after the program, but they reported less distress about them and felt they could manage symptoms through behavioral or thinking changes.
What it means for you
Counseling on top of self-help materials offers additional benefits for coping with PMS, particularly for mood symptoms and sense of control. However, this was a very small pilot study (only 20 women completed it), so results may not apply to all women.
32
Women enrolled
20
Women who completed
14
Women interviewed
About the study
- Original title
- Evaluating the relative efficacy of a self‐help and minimal psycho‐educational intervention for moderate premenstrual distress conducted from a critical realist standpoint
- Authors
- Jane Maria Ussher, Janette Perz
- Journal
- Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 32
- What was tested
- Self-help materials alone versus self-help materials plus counseling
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/02646830600974147
Topics
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