Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is an important problem that affects the quality of life of women of reproductive age. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on PMS and pain. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in a pretest-posttest parallel group randomized controlled experimental study design. Data were collected using the ''Personal Information Form'', ''Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS)'', ''Subjective Experience Unit Scale (SUE)'', and ''Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)''. Forty-four students between the ages of 18-25 who scored 111 and above on the PMSS and had regular menstrual cycles participated in the study. EFT was applied to 23 students in the intervention group for 3 sessions for 3 months. No intervention was made to the control group. Measurements were made before the study started and at the end of the study. Results: The results of the study showed a decrease in pain scores, an increase in the mean SUE score and a decrease in the mean PMSS score in the intervention group (p<0.001). In the control group, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean VAS, SUE and PMSS scores before and after the intervention (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study show that EFT is an effective method to reduce PMS and pain level.
Keywords: Pain; emotional freedom technique; menstrual cycle; premenstrual syndrome
Amaç: Premenstrüel sendrom, üreme çağındaki kadınların yaşam kalitesini etkileyen önemli bir sorundur. Bu araştırma, duygusal özgürleşme tekniğinin [Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)] premenstrual sendrom ve ağrı üzerine etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırma, ön test son test paralel gruplu randomize kontrollü deneysel çalışma tasarımında yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın verileri; ''Kişisel Bilgi Formu'', ''Premenstrual Sendrom Ölçeği (PMSÖ)'', ''Subjektif Deneyim Birimi Ölçeği [Subjective Experience Unit Scale (SUE)]'' ve ''Görsel Analog Skala [Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)]'' kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Araştırmaya, PMSS'den 111 ve üzeri puan alan ve düzenli menstrüel döngüye sahip 18-25 yaş aralığında 44 öğrenci katılmıştır. Müdahale grubundaki 23 öğrenciye 3 ay boyunca 3 seans EFT uygulanmıştır. Kontrol grubuna herhangi bir müdahalede bulunulmamıştır. Ölçümler çalışma başlamadan önce ve çalışma sonunda yapılmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırmanın sonuçları, müdahale grubunda ağrı puanlarında azalma, SUE puan ortalamalarında artış ve ortalama PMSÖ skorunda azalma olduğunu göstermiştir (p<0,001). Kontrol grubunun uygulama öncesi ve sonrasında ortalama VAS, SUE ve PMSÖ puan ortalamaları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır (p>0,05). Sonuç: Bu araştırmanın sonuçları, EFT'nin premenstrüel sendromu ve ağrı düzeyini azaltmada etkili bir yöntem olduğunu göstermektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Ağrı; duygusal özgürleşme tekniği; menstrüel siklus; premenstrüel sendrom
- Taşkın L. Doğum ve Kadın Sağlığı Hemşireliği. 1. Baskı. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi; 2021.
- Kappen M, Raeymakers S, Weyers S, Vanderhasselt MA. Stress and rumination in Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Identifying stable and menstrual cycle-related differences in PMS symptom severity. J Affect Disord. 2022;319:580-8. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Liu Q, Wang Y, van Heck CH, Qiao W. Stress reactivity and emotion in premenstrual syndrome. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2017;13:1597-602. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Prieto-Fidalgo A, Gómez-Odriozola J, Royuela-Colomer E, Orue I, Fernández-González L, Oñate L, et al. Predictive associations of dispositional mindfulness facets with anxiety and depression: a meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach. Mindfulness. 2022;13(3):1-17. [Crossref]
- Askari S, Behroozi N, Abbaspoor Z. The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral therapy on premenstrual syndrome. Iran Red Crescent Medical Journal.2018;20(1):1-7. [Crossref]
- Bakır N, Irmak Vural P, Körpe G. The effects of emotional freedom techniques on coping with premenstrual syndrome: a randomized control trial. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2022;58(4):1502-11. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Borji-Navan S, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Esmaeilpour K, Mirghafourvand M, Ahmadian-Khooinarood A. Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for premenstrual syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Womens Health. 2022;22(1):5. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Hartman S. The Basic of Energy EFT. Energy EFT: Energize Your Life From -10 to +10 With The Essential Next Generation A-Z Field Guide To Self-Help EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques. 1st ed. United Kingdom: DragonRising; 2012.
- Church D, Stapleton P, Sheppard L, Carter B. Naturally thin you: weight loss and psychological symptoms after a six-week online clinical EFT (emotional freedom techniques) course. Explore. 2018;14(2):131-6. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Menevşe Ş, Yayla A. Effect of emotional freedom technique applied to patients before laparoscopic cholecystectomy on surgical fear and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. J Perianesth Nurs. 2024;39(1):93-100. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Dincer B, Özçelik SK, Özer Z, Bahçecik N. Breathing therapy and emotional freedom techniques on public speaking anxiety in Turkish nursing students: a randomized controlled study. Explore (NY). 2022;18(2):226-33. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Kwak HY, Choi EJ, Kim JW, Suh HW, Chung SY. Effect of the Emotional Freedom Techniques on anger symptoms in Hwabyung patients: a comparison with the progressive muscle relaxation technique in a pilot randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2020;16(3):170-7. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Stapleton PB, Baumann O, O'Keefe T, Bhuta S. Neural changes after Emotional Freedom Techniques treatment for chronic pain sufferers. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2022;49:101653. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Jain S, Rubino A. Energy Psychology Theory. Research&Treatment. 2012;4(2):15-26. [Link]
- Simsek Kucukkelepce D, Unver H, Nacar G, Tashan ST. The effects of acupressure and yoga for coping with premenstrual syndromes on premenstrual symptoms and quality of life. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021;42:101282. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Upadhyay M, Mahishale A, Kari A. Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome in college going girls-a cross sectional study. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health 2023;20:101234. [Crossref]
- Gençdoğan B. Premenstruel sendrom için yeni bir ölçek [A new scale for premenstrual syndrome]. Türkiye'de Psikiyatri Dergisi. 2006;8(2):81-7. [Link]
- Hawker GA, Mian S, Kendzerska T, French M. Measures of adult pain: Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS pain), Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS pain), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS), Short Form-36 Bodily Pain Scale (SF-36 BPS), and Measure of Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011;63 Suppl 11:S240-52. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Gudipally PR, Sharma GK. Premenstrual syndrome. 2023. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025. [PubMed]
- Maged AM, Abbassy AH, Sakr HRS, Elsawah H, Wagih H, Ogila AI, et al. Effect of swimming exercise on premenstrual syndrome. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2018;297(4):951-9. Erratum in: Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024;309(6):2957. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Solt Kırca A, Kızılkaya T. Effects of music medicine on premenstrual symptoms levels and quality of life: a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2022;46:101542. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D. Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) improves multiple physiological markers of health. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019;24:2515690X18823691. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Clond M. Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2016;204(5):388-95. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Feinstein D. Energy psychology: efficacy, speed, mechanisms. Explore (NY). 2019;15(5):340-51. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Rancour P. The Emotional Freedom Technique: finally, a unifying theory for the practice of holistic nursing, or too good to be true? J Holist Nurs. 2017;35(4):382-8. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Blacher S. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): tap to relieve stress and burnout. J Interprof Educ Pract. 2023;30:100599. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Nelms JA, Castel L. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression. Explore (NY). 2016;12(6):416-26. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Dincer B, Inangil D. The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses' stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2021;17(2):109-14. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Mehdipour A, Abedi P, Ansari S, Dastoorpoor M. The effectiveness of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) on depression of postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Complement Integr Med. 2021;19(3):737-42. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Irmak Vural P, Aslan E. Emotional freedom techniques and breathing awareness to reduce childbirth fear: a randomized controlled study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019;35:224-31. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Bougea AM, Spandideas N, Alexopoulos EC, Thomaides T, Chrousos GP, Darviri C. Effect of the emotional freedom technique on perceived stress, quality of life, and cortisol salivary levels in tension-type headache sufferers: A randomized controlled trial. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. 2013;9(2):91-9. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Desoky MMA, Abdo Hussien A, Ibrahim AA, Metwally HMS. Emotional freedom technique for reducing primary dysmenorrhea intensity among female students. Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal. 2023;11(37):33-42. [Crossref]
- İnangil D, Vural PI, Doğan S, Körpe G. Effectiveness of music therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique on test anxiety in Turkish nursing students: a randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2020;33(3);101041. [Crossref]
- Rogers R, Sears SR. Emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for stress in students: A randomized controlled dismantling study. 2015;7-27. [Crossref]
.: İşlem Listesi