--- title: Does a smartphone app with symptom tracking and emails help reduce emotional distress from PMS? description: Yes. Women using the app showed greater improvement in emotional distress than those on a waitlist. The improvement was small but statistically significant. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-digital-self-care-intervention-for-psychological-distress-associated-with-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does a smartphone app with symptom tracking and emails help reduce emotional distress from PMS? Randomised trial, 2026 # Does a smartphone app with symptom tracking and emails help reduce emotional distress from PMS? Yes. Women using the app showed greater improvement in emotional distress than those on a waitlist. The improvement was small but statistically significant. Moderate study design 419 Japanese women aged 18 or older who self-identified as having PMS ## What they did 419 Japanese women with PMS were assigned (not randomly) to 3 months of daily symptom tracking on a smartphone app plus twice-weekly informational emails, or to a waitlist. 355 women completed the study. Researchers measured emotional distress at baseline and 3 months. ## What they found The app group improved more than the waitlist group. The difference in change in emotional distress scores was 1.37 points (95% CI, -2.47 to -0.27, p = 0.015). ## What it means for you A simple app that tracks symptoms and sends information may help reduce the emotional burden of PMS. Because people weren't randomly assigned, we can't be certain the app itself caused the improvement rather than other factors like attention or expectation. 419 Women enrolled 355 Women who completed the study 1.37 points Improvement in emotional distress score ## About the study Original title A digital self-care intervention for psychological distress associated with premenstrual syndrome: a fully online controlled trial using alternating allocation Authors Ikeda Y, Egawa M, Ohsuga T et al. Journal BMC women's health Year 2026 Study design Randomised trial Participants 419 What was tested Smartphone app for daily symptom tracking plus twice-weekly informational emails for 3 months Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04539-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04539-3) Original abstract Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is associated with significant psychological distress and productivity loss in women. This study aimed to evaluate whether a low-intensity digital intervention-comprising a symptom-tracking smartphone application and standardized informational emails-could reduce the psychological burden of PMS among women who self-identified as experiencing PMS. Methods: We conducted a fully internet-based, open-label, parallel-group, nonrandomized controlled trial using centrally administered alternating allocation among women aged 18 years or older in Japan who self-identified as experiencing PMS. Participants were allocated alternately to either a 3-month intervention group (daily symptom tracking using a smartphone app and twice-weekly informational emails) or a waitlist control group. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in change scores on the psychological subscale of the Japanese version of the PMS-Impact Scale, measured from baseline to 3 months. Analyses were conducted per protocol. Results: A total of 419 women were enrolled and assigned to either the intervention group (n = 210) or the waitlist control group (n = 209). Of these, 355 participants were included in the per-protocol analysis. The intervention group showed greater improvement in self-reported psychological distress than the waitlist control group. The between-group difference in change score, defined as intervention minus control, was - 1.37 points (95% CI, - 2.47 to - 0.27; p = 0.015). Conclusions: A simple, scalable digital intervention was associated with greater improvement in self-reported psychological distress among women who self-identified as experiencing PMS. These findings suggest that accessible, non-clinician-led tools may have potential as a self-management strategy for PMS, although causal interpretation is limited by the nonrandomized design. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) on September 26, 2022. Trial registration number: UMIN000048422. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2019 Does online cognitive behavioral therapy help women with PMDD? Survey study, 2021 How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect women's menstrual cycles and symptoms? Case-control study, 2019 Do women with PMDD respond differently to stress? Study, 2026 How can lifestyle changes help reduce premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2024 Can a smartphone app that teaches heart rate control help with premenstrual symptoms? Randomised trial, 2023 Does a smartphone app for heart rate variability biofeedback reduce premenstrual and depressive symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗