Emotional Freedom Techniques in Nursing Students With Primary Dysmenorrhea

This study will examine whether Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can reduce pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and functional-emotional impact in nursing students with primary dysmenorrhea. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will receive EFT-based support, and the control group will continue their usual coping practices. Study outcomes will be measured before the intervention, after the intervention, and at follow-up. This study may provide evidence for a safe, non-pharmacological approach to support students with primary dysmenorrhea.

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Key information

Conditions

Primary Dysmenorrhea

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Being enrolled in a nursing program,
Being 18 years of age or older
Having had a regular menstrual cycle within the last six months
Experiencing primary dysmenorrhea during the last three menstrual cycles
Reporting moderate to severe pain according to the Visual Analog Scale (VAS: 4-10)
Voluntary participation in the study
Providing written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Having a diagnosed gynecological disease that may cause secondary dysmenorrhea (endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.)
Having chronic pain syndrome
Receiving regular treatment or taking psychiatric medication due to a psychiatric diagnosis
Applying another pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention that may affect pain perception during the research process,
Taking the course Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health Nursing • Receiving/having received emotional freedom technique training,
Having previously received training in this technique or regularly using it
Having a cognitive or sensory problem that prevents communication or completing data collection forms
Not completing the application protocol
Incomplete completion of data collection forms
Wishing to withdraw from the research

Treatment and study plan

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES (EFT)

Behavioral

The intervention consists of a structured Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)-based nursing intervention designed for nursing students with primary dysmenorrhea. It includes an individual preparation and education session conducted 5-7 days before the expected menstruation, during which pain-related thoughts, emotions, and bodily awareness are identified and individualized setup statements are developed. A guided EFT session is then conducted on the first day of menstrual pain. During this session, participants focus on dysmenorrhea-related distress while repeating the individualized setup statements and following the structured EFT sequence under researcher guidance. Pain intensity and subjective distress are assessed before and after the guided session. Participants are also advised to repeat the EFT self-application 1-2 times on the same day.

Primary outcomes

Pain Intensity

Time frame: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the intervention cycle), and follow-up (T2; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the next menstrual cycle)

Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Participants will rate the most severe menstrual pain experienced during the relevant menstrual cycle on a 0-10 scale, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain.
Pain Catastrophizing

Time frame: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the intervention cycle), and follow-up (T2; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the next menstrual cycle)

Pain catastrophizing will be assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Total scores range from 0 to 52. Higher scores indicate greater pain catastrophizing and therefore a worse outcome.
Functional-Emotional Impact

Time frame: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the intervention cycle), and follow-up (T2; 2-3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding in the next menstrual cycle)

Functional-emotional impact will be assessed using the Functional and Emotional Dysmenorrhea Scale (FEDS). Total scores range from 14 to 70. Higher scores indicate greater functional and emotional impact of dysmenorrhea and therefore a worse outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ataturk University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Pain Intensity, Pain Catastrophizing, and Functional-Emotional Impact in Nursing Students With Primary Dysmenorrhea

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jun 22, 2026
Registry last updated: Jun 22, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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