The Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on Premenstrual Syndrome, Menstrual Symptom and Life Quality of Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a condition that occurs during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and begins approximately five days before menstruation, subsiding spontaneously a few days later. It affects women's lives physically, psychologically, and behaviourally. PMS is a common health issue among menstruating women, with a has a global prevalence of 47.8%, while its prevalence in Turkey is 52.2%. Although the exact aetiology of PMS is unknown, it is thought to be influenced by factors such as excess or deficiency of oestrogen, aldosterone and renin-angiotensin imbalance, progesterone deficiency, and thyroid dysfunction.

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is used to improve conditions such as anger, sadness, anxiety, and depression, where the individual's physical or psychological awareness is focused on a specific issue. EFT is based on the existence of an energy system (meridian system) that surrounds the physical body like a network. It involves tapping, pressing, and stimulating selected acupuncture points, particularly on the head and upper body, using the fingertips along these meridians. While applying pressure with the fingertips, a specific phrase related to the problem is recited. Each point is tapped at least seven times. Completing the specific phrase and taps is called an 'EFT round'.

A review of the literature reveals that PMS and its symptoms negatively impact women's lives in physical, psychological, and behavioural terms. This negative impact is also thought to adversely affect the individual's comfort and reduce their quality of life. As a coping method, EFT is effective in managing symptoms due to its low cost, reliability, absence of side effects, and ease of self administration. According to Clond (2016), more studies are needed to determine the effectiveness and level of evidence of EFT. This need can be met by increasing the number of randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses. This need can be met by increasing the number of randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses. We anticipate that our study, which was initiated for this purpose, will contribute to both the literature and practice. Furthermore, a review of the literature reveals that education, acupressure, and yoga methods are commonly used in studies on coping with PMS. One RCT study using the EFT method was found, but there was a lack of clarity on issues such as on which day of the menstrual cycle EFT was started, who performed the application, and whether the students performed the application or not. Differences were also found between the scales used in that study and our study. In this study, our aim is to improve the quality of life of nursing students experiencing PMS by reducing their premenstrual syndrome and menstrual symptoms through the application of EFT.

Inclusion Criteria;

• Scoring 132 or above on the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (achieving 50% of the scale's total points),
• Aged 18 years or older,
• With a menstrual cycle length within normal limits (every 21-35 days) for the past three months,
• Voluntarily participating in the study,
• Possessing a smartphone and internet access, female students were included.