The Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on the Symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder of Pakistani Female Adolescents

Abstract

Premenstrual emotive, cognitive, and bodily symptoms affect many of females in the course of reproductive years, with most indications occurring during the final premenstrual phase and subsiding a few days after menses begins (Pearlstein, Yonkers, Fayyad, & Gillespie, 2005) The aim of the study to see the effectiveness of Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) of young adolescents. The sample size of N= 16 participants (M=14.90, SD= 0.86) was selected and divided into two groups, an experimental group and control group, having 8 participants in each group. The base line score was taken by using Cuestionario del Trastorno Disfórico Premenstrual – DSM-5 (CTDP –DSM-5) and checklist on experiences related to menstruation (CEM). The experimental group received 7 individual sessions utilizing CBT intervention. The results suggested a significant contribution of CBT in decreasing the symptoms of PMDD. The scores of pre and post testing (p <0.05) of experimental group verified the efficacy of CBT in treating the symptoms of PMDD and increasing the positive attitude and experience related to menstruation. The present study makes important implications regarding the use of the CBT intervention as a complementary strategy in mental health promotion and treatment. And in future researches the role of anxiety and depression should be focused because PMDD leads to the different psychological disorders