---
title: Does cognitive therapy help women with PMS? | Niyora
description: Yes. Cognitive therapy was significantly more effective than being on a waitlist, and women showed almost complete remission of symptoms.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cognitive-therapy-for-premenstrual-syndrome-a-controlled-trial-1998/
---

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- Does cognitive therapy help women with PMS?

Randomised trial, 1998

# Does cognitive therapy help women with PMS?

Yes. Cognitive therapy was significantly more effective than being on a waitlist, and women showed almost complete remission of symptoms.

 Strong study design

Women with distressing emotional and physical symptoms in the second half of the menstrual cycle, confirmed by 2 months of diary recording

## What they did

A randomized controlled trial comparing 12 weekly sessions of individual cognitive therapy to a waiting list. Women had 2 months of prospective symptom diary recording confirming PMS before being randomly assigned.

## What they found

Cognitive therapy was significantly more effective than the waitlist group. Women treated with cognitive therapy showed almost complete remission of psychological and somatic symptoms and of impairment of functioning.

## What it means for you

Psychological therapy alone, without medication, can effectively treat PMS. The improvement was not simply from time passing or from the act of monitoring symptoms with diaries.

12

weekly sessions of cognitive therapy

2 months

prior diary recording to confirm PMS

## About the study

Original title Cognitive therapy for premenstrual syndrome: a controlled trial Authors Blake F, Salkovskis P, Gath D et al. Journal Journal of psychosomatic research Year 1998 Study design Randomised trial What was tested 12 weekly sessions of individual cognitive therapy versus waiting list control Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(98)00042-7](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(98)00042-7)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Cognitive behavioral therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-cbt/)

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.

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Cohort study, 2022

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Survey study, 2012

What non-hormonal medications and therapies help severe PMS and PMDD?

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How do hormone changes during the menstrual cycle affect mood and emotions?

Non-randomised trial, 2024

Does cognitive-behavioral or mindfulness stress management help reduce PMS in high school girls?

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