Transactional Analysis Training on Reducing Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome and Alexithymia in 20-25 Years Old Females in Mashhad

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to physical and emotional symptoms that occur in the one to two weeks before a womanchr('39')s period. Symptoms often vary between women and resolve around the start of bleeding. Common symptoms include acne, breasts tenderness, headache, increase in appetite and heart bit, depression, irritability, feeling tired, aggression and suicidal tendency. It is one of the most common disorders, which leads to women’s malfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to apply low–cost and effective methods. One of the variables, which could be related to premenstrual syndrome, is alexithymia. Transactional analysis is one of the theories, which consider interpersonal relations, the process of life events, and people mutual reactions with each other and proposes practical solutions for interpersonal problems. The aim of this research was to determine the effectiveness of transactional analysis training on reducing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and alexithymia. 

This study was quasi–experimental with pretest– posttest and control group. The population included all female students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad (Northeast of Iran) with premenstrual syndrome, ranging from 20 to 25 years old. Using availability sampling, 30 subjects, according to entry and exit criteria were chosen. Material consisted of Toronto alexithymia scale and premenstrual symptoms screening tool (PSST) (2003) questionnaire for diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome. These questionnaires performed as pre–test for both experimental and control groups. Then the experimental group receives the training program of transitional analysis therapy, and the control group received no intervention. At the end of program, both groups answered the post–tests. These questionnaires performed as pre–test for both experimental and control groups. Then the experimental group receives the training program of transitional analysis therapy, and the control group received no intervention. At the end of program, both groups answered the post–tests. For the sake of data analysis SPSS 21 and for comparing the effectiveness of two groups, multivariate analysis (MANCOVA) were used.

The results of multivariate analysis showed that by controlling the effect of pre–test scores between two experimental and control groups, there was a significant difference in new variable out of linear composition of post test scores, as a dependent variables (p<0.001). In addition, there were significant difference in PMS components and alexithymia between the experimental and control groups (p<0.001). Mean of alexithymia in pretest was 57.88±12.04, which reduced to 46.94±3.38 in post–test. In addition, mean of premenstrual syndrome was 74.92± 1.82 in pretest which reduced to 69.23±1.02 in post–test. 

Regarding chronic nature of this disorder and side effect of pharmacotherapy treatment, the use of no pharmacological treatment is preferable. Therefore, with regard to the results of this study and the effectiveness of transactional analysis training as a no pharmacological method, transitional analysis could be considered as an appropriate therapeutic method for reducing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and alexithymia.