Effect of hypnosis on psychological distress in female university students with premenstrual syndrome

This study aimed to investigate the effect of hypnosis on psychological distress in female university students with premenstrual syndrome. In this parallel randomized controlled trial (1:1), 60 eligible female students with premenstrual syndrome in the dormitories of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (west of Iran), were selected randomly and allocated to the experimental, and control groups (n = 30 each), using a simple randomization method. The experiment group received a structured hypnosis intervention consisting of three 60-min group sessions conducted weekly, and no intervention was performed in the control group. Before, the intervention, two groups completed premenstrual syndrome screening and DASS-21 questionnaire. The DASS-21was completed after the intervention (three months after the last intervention session), by two groups. In this study, the participants and investigators were not blinded; however, the analysts were. The recruitment process took place from October to December 2020. Sixty participants fulfilled the study. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS (v24). After the intervention, the total mean scores for depression (3.40 ± 4.08 vs. 7.40 ± 3.15; mean difference: − 4.000 [95% CI − 5.566, − 2.434]; p < 0.0001), anxiety (2.67 ± 2.15 vs. 4.40 ± 2.72; mean difference: − 1.733 [95% CI − 2.924, − 0.543]; p = 0.004), and stress (4.63 ± 3.16 vs. 9.30 ± 2.57; mean difference: − 4.667 [95% CI − 6.159, − 3.175]; p < 0.0001) were significantly lower in the hypnosis group compared to the control group. No significant adverse events or side effects were observed. Hypnotherapy relaxation among female students experiencing premenstrual syndrome resulted in reduction in symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety but a larger sample size is required to fully test its merits. Trial Registration Clinical Trials: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials; https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/50699 (IRCT20151208025433N5), registered (2020-09-27). Registration timing: retrospective.