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Randomised trial, 2020

Can learning coping strategies reduce anxiety in girls with PMS?

In this small study, a 10-session coping skills training program lowered anxiety scores in girls with PMS more than in a comparison group, but the study was small so this is not strong proof.

Early or limited evidence 32 high school girls with PMS in Ardabil, Iran

What they did

A pre-test/post-test study with a training group and a control group. 32 high school girls with PMS in Ardabil, Iran were split into the two groups. Both groups filled in a PMS symptom questionnaire and the Beck Anxiety Scale before and after. The training group attended coping strategies classes over 10 sessions of two hours each.

What they found

Anxiety scores dropped significantly more in the group that got coping skills training than in the control group (F=16.01, p=.0001, partial eta squared=0.35).

What it means for you

Coping skills training may help ease anxiety that comes with PMS, but this was a very small study (32 girls) in one city, without full randomization, so the results need confirming in bigger, better-controlled studies.

32

Participants

16.01

F value for anxiety drop

0.35

Effect size (partial eta²)

About the study

Original title
The effect of coping methods in reducing anxiety among girls with premenstrual syndrome
Authors
Roya Motavalli, Vida Sadrolmamaleki, Serap Ejder Apay
Journal
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
Year
2020
Study design
Randomised trial
Participants
32
What was tested
10 two-hour sessions of coping strategies training

Topics