This study aims to evaluate the effects of "Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Training" given to students with Primary Dysmenorrhea on Stress, Pain, and Self-Efficacy. The research will be conducted at Atatürk University Faculty of Health Sciences between October 2025 and October 2026. The study was conducted with individuals who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Self-Efficacy Scale (SES), Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-S), and Mindfulness Scale (MSS). After collecting pre-test data, students with PMS in the experimental group received 8 sessions of Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion training. The first two sessions were conducted face-to-face, and the remaining sessions were conducted online. No intervention was applied to the control group. The sample size of the study was calculated using the GPower computer program. A power analysis performed at α=0.05 yielded an effect size of 150,153 (d=0.8), achieving 90% power. Therefore, it was calculated that the sample should include at least 68 participants. This research is being conducted with 68 participants.
Data was collected through face-to-face interviews by the researcher. Women meeting the inclusion criteria (women experiencing Primary Dysmenorrhea, those scoring 45 or higher on the Visual Analog Scale) were included in the study. Pre-test assessment tools were administered to the participants. The experimental group received 40 minutes of Mindfulness-Based SelfCompassion training once a week for 8 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Post-test data will be collected after the training sessions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
68
The practice of "Breath break with kindness" will be applied for 5 minutes. Afterwards, 15 minutes of information on threats, impulses and soothing systems, "A safe place" application for 11 minutes, "Courtesy meditation" for 10 minutes. After each application, 10 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants.
The practice of "breathing with kindness" will be done for 7 minutes. The practice of "Building a compassionate relationship with resilience" will be held for 12 minutes, and the practice of "Kindness meditation: a benevolent" will take place for 11 minutes. "A hand over your heart" application will be made for 3 minutes and "A compassionate comrade" application will be done for 10 minutes. After each application, 3 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants.
The practice of "breathing with kindness" will be done for 7 minutes. "Building a compassionate relationship with desire" 12 minutes, "Guided meditation to discover the inner pattern" 10 minutes and "Courtesy meditation: a good friend" 11 minutes. Except for the "breath break with kindness" application, 3 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants after each application
The "pretend-to-be" practice for the participants to observe themselves will be made for 10 minutes. The practice of "internalizing compassion" will be done for 7 minutes, "kindness meditation: a neutral person" practice for 10 minutes, and "kindness towards your body" for 10 minutes. After each application, 3 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants.
The "a compassionate letter" practice with the participants will continue for 15 minutes. "meditation: the 'difficult' person" 8 minutes, "compassion and breathing: yourself" 10 minutes and "compassionate breathing: others" 7 minutes. A "compassionate break" application is performed for 7 minutes.
The practice of "Revisiting the good" is carried out for 10 minutes with the participants. "Forgive yourself", "wish for forgiveness", "forgive others", "gratitude" practices will be held for 5 minutes each and will take 20 minutes in total. "Courtesy meditation: groups and all beings" will be practiced for 10 minutes. After each application, 3 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants.
Participants will be given 10 minutes to choose a day in their life and allow a few minutes to pause mindfully. The practice of "a breather for wise and compassionate action" is 10 minutes, the practice of "calmness meditation" is 8 minutes, and the practice of "sharing the joy meditation" is 8 minutes. After each application, 3 minutes of feedback will be received from the participants.
The participants are told about the applications they can apply for, where they need help to develop compassion towards self-healing skills, and the entire training will be evaluated for 20 minutes. The "river of life" application is carried out for 20 minutes. 10 minutes of feedback will be received after the application.
Demographic Information Form:
This form consists of 14 questions prepared by the researcher in accordance with the relevant literature. It includes questions about students' demographic information (age, department, class, marital status, and place of residence) and characteristics of their menstrual cycle (age of menarche, duration of bleeding and pain, etc.).
Time frame: up to 1 day
Visual Analog Scale (VAS):
VAS is used to measure the pain perceived by a person. Between a 10 cm (100 mm) section of the scale, where one end is marked with no pain (zero) and the other end with the most severe pain (10), the individual can indicate their pain by drawing a line, placing a dot, or marking it. The distance from the point where there is no pain to the point marked by the individual is measured in centimeters, and the resulting value indicates the severity of the individual's pain. On the VAS scale, 0-44 mm indicates mild pain, 45-74 mm indicates moderate pain, and 75-100 mm indicates severe pain (Tulunay and Tulunay, 2000).
Time frame: up to 1 day
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