---
title: Does psychological treatment help women with premenstrual syndrome?
description: Cognitive behavioral therapy may reduce anxiety and depression in women with PMS, but the quality of evidence is low. For every five women treated, one additi
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/psychological-intervention-for-premenstrual-syndrome-a-meta-analysis-of-2009/
---

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- Does psychological treatment help women with premenstrual syndrome?

Systematic review, 2009

# Does psychological treatment help women with premenstrual syndrome?

Cognitive behavioral therapy may reduce anxiety and depression in women with PMS, but the quality of evidence is low. For every five women treated, one additional woman may benefit.

 Moderate study design

Women with premenstrual syndrome in randomized controlled trials

## What they did

Systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials comparing psychological interventions to control for women with premenstrual syndrome. Five trials tested cognitive behavioral therapy.

## What they found

Nine randomized trials contributed data. Cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced anxiety (effect size -0.58, number needed to treat 5) and depression (effect size -0.55, number needed to treat 5). Possible benefit for behavior changes and symptom interference with daily living. Monitoring and education were not effective.

## What it means for you

CBT might help some women with PMS, especially for anxiety and depression. However, the studies had quality issues including design and implementation weaknesses and possible reporting bias, so better research is needed.

9

Number of randomized trials analyzed

5

Trials testing cognitive behavioral therapy

5

Number needed to treat for anxiety reduction

## About the study

Original title Psychological intervention for premenstrual syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Authors Busse JW, Montori VM, Krasnik C et al. Journal Psychotherapy and psychosomatics Year 2009 Study design Systematic review What was tested Psychological interventions, primarily cognitive behavioral therapy Read the paper [doi.org/10.1159/000162296](https://doi.org/10.1159/000162296)

## Topics

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

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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