Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for health-related and work-related quality of life in working women with premenstrual syndrome: A cluster randomized controlled trial
Elahe Cholbeigi, Nasim Bahrami, Mohammad Ebrahim Sarichloo, Mark Damian Griffiths, Zainab Alimoradi
Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health October 12, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/15555240.2026.2745955 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cluster randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 110 |
| Population | Working women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) from 20 schools |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | Eight weekly 45–60-minute group sessions |
| Measures | SF-12, WRQoL, IPMSDLS, FFMQ-15 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The prespecified primary analysis found no significant intervention effects on health-related quality of life, work-related quality of life, PMS impact on daily life, or mindfulness (all p > 0.05). Secondary exploratory analyses not accounting for school-level clustering showed greater improvements in the MBCT group with medium effect sizes (partial η2 = 0.108–0.149; all p < 0.001), but the authors state these findings were not confirmed in the primary analysis and do not provide evidence of MBCT effectiveness. |
Abstract
This cluster randomized controlled trial examined whether mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work-related quality of life (WRQoL), and reduces the impact of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) on daily life among working women with PMS. From August 2023 to May 2024, working women from 20 schools were randomized into intervention or control groups, yielding 110 working women with PMS (55 per group). The intervention comprised eight weekly 45–60-minute group MBCT sessions. Outcomes included HRQoL (SF-12), WRQoL, the impact of PMS on daily life (IPMSDLS), and mindfulness (FFMQ-15). The prespecified primary analysis (linear mixed-effects models with school as a random intercept) found no significant intervention effects on any outcome (all p > 0.05). In secondary, exploratory repeated-measures ANCOVA analyses not accounting for school-level clustering, the MBCT group showed significantly greater improvements across all outcomes, with medium effect sizes (partial η2 = 0.108–0.149; all p < 0.001); these exploratory findings were not confirmed in the primary analysis and should be interpreted with caution. Because the cluster-adjusted primary analysis did not confirm a significant intervention effect, the findings do not provide evidence of MBCT effectiveness, although the consistent direction of exploratory findings suggests MBCT may warrant further evaluation in adequately powered cluster-randomized trials.RCT registration The study protocol was prospectively registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials under decree code IRCT20221213056810N1; 2023-05-05.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Development and implementation of mindfulness-based psychological intervention program on premenstrual dysphoric symptoms and quality of life among late adolescents: A pilot study Journal of Affective Disorders Reports December 17, 2022
- Yoga and Mindfulness as a Tool for Influencing Affectivity, Anxiety, Mental Health, and Stress among Healthcare Workers: Results of a Single-Arm Clinical Trial Journal of Clinical Medicine April 1, 2020
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Premenstrual Syndrome February 28, 2018
and 2 more in the library