--- title: Can self-compassion improve emotional well-being in women with PMS? description: Yes. Self-compassion partly explained why worse PMS severity linked to poorer quality of life, especially for social and emotional well-being. Women who were url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/self-compassion-links-premenstrual-symptom-severity-to-social-and-emotional-well-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can self-compassion improve emotional well-being in women with PMS? Survey study, 2026 # Can self-compassion improve emotional well-being in women with PMS? Yes. Self-compassion partly explained why worse PMS severity linked to poorer quality of life, especially for social and emotional well-being. Women who were more self-compassionate had better quality of life despite PMS. Moderate study design 164 nursing students with moderate-to-severe PMS ## What they did 164 nursing students with moderate PMS (PMSS score of 110 or higher) completed surveys measuring self-compassion and PMS-related quality of life (PMS-QoL). Researchers analyzed whether self-compassion mediated the link between symptom severity and quality of life, adjusting for age, BMI, and menstrual pain. ## What they found Worse PMS severity linked to less self-compassion (r = -0.263) and worse quality of life (r = -0.367). More self-compassion linked to better quality of life (r = 0.353). Self-compassion partially explained the connection between symptom severity and overall quality of life, and strongly explained it for social and emotional domains, but not for physical well-being. ## What it means for you Being kind to yourself may help protect your emotional and social well-being when PMS is bad. This does not mean self-compassion removes physical symptoms, but it may help your mood and relationships. Small sample of nursing students, so results may differ in other groups. 164 Nursing students with PMS assessed r = -0.263 Correlation between symptom severity and self-compassion r = 0.353 Correlation between self-compassion and quality of life ## About the study Original title Self-compassion links premenstrual symptom severity to social and emotional well-being in nursing students Authors Güzin Ünlü Suvari, Merve Coşkun Journal Scientific Reports Year 2026 Study design Survey study Participants 164 What was tested Self-compassion measured, not taught Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-67397-x](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-67397-x) Original abstract Abstract Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is associated with impaired quality of life in women. Although self-compassion has been associated with psychological well-being, its role in the relationship between premenstrual symptom severity and PMS-specific quality of life (PMS-QoL) remains unclear. This study investigated the mediating role of self-compassion among nursing students. In this cross-sectional study, 164 nursing students with Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS) scores ≥ 110 completed the Self-Compassion Scale and the Premenstrual Syndrome–Specific Quality of Life Scale (PMS-QoL). Pearson’s correlation and mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS Model 4 with 5,000 bootstrap samples, adjusting for age, body mass index, and menstrual pain intensity. Greater premenstrual symptom severity was associated with lower self-compassion ( r = − 0.263, p < 0.01) and poorer PMS-QoL ( r = − 0.367, p < 0.01), whereas self-compassion exhibited a positive association with PMS-QoL ( r = 0.353, p < 0.01). Self-compassion partially mediated the association between premenstrual symptom severity and overall PMS-QoL (indirect effect = − 0.045, 95% bootstrap CI: −0.085 to − 0.015), as well as the social and emotional well-being domains, but not the physical well-being domain. These findings highlight the potential of self-compassion as a psychological resource for improving PMS-specific quality of life and fostering health and well-being among university nursing students. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Systematic review, 2025 Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS? Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk? Review, 2026 How much do PMS and menstrual disorders affect women's work, school, and quality of life? Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS and painful periods among female medical students in Saudi Arabia, and what causes them? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗