Impact of acceptance and commitment therapy on premenstrual dysphoric disorder and pain catastrophizing in adolescent girls

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and pain catastrophizing significantly affect the quality of life in adolescent girls. This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in reducing symptoms of PMDD and pain catastrophizing in this population.

This quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The study population consisted of female high school students with PMDD in Tabriz, Iran, in 2022. Thirty girls were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 girls each). The experimental group received eight 1.5-hour therapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Both groups completed questionnaires comprising 19 items on PMDD and 13 items on pain catastrophizing before the intervention, immediately after, and three months later.

The mean age of the experimental group was 16.80±0.77 years, and the control group was 16.53±0.64 years. In the pre-test, the mean score for acceptance and commitment therapy for PMDD was 57.60±5.00 and for pain catastrophizing was 37.13±4.79 in the experimental group, while in the control group, they were 57.93±6.59 and 38.40±5.27, respectively (P<0.05). Acceptance and commitment therapy significantly reduced symptoms of PMDD (43.93±5.99) and pain catastrophizing (32.93±5.16) in the post-test (P<0.001). The effects of therapy on PMDD (44.07±5.86) and pain catastrophizing (33.07±5.14) remained significant in the follow-up phase (P<0.001).

Acceptance and commitment therapy shows promise in reducing symptoms of PMDD and pain catastrophizing in adolescent girls, suggesting its potential as an effective intervention for improving their quality of life.