The Relationship Between Coping with Premenstrual Syndrome and Self-Care Agency Among Female University Students

Background: Premenstrual syndrome is a common condition characterized by physical and emotional symptoms that may negatively affect female university students’ well-being and academic performance. Coping strategies and self-care practices may help manage these symptoms, but the relationship between them remains underexplored.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between coping with premenstrual syndrome and self-care agency among female university students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and November 2024 among 311 female university students. Data were collected through face-to-face surveys using a sociodemographic information form, the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, the Premenstrual Change Coping Inventory, and the Self-Care Agency Scale. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests and Pearson’s correlation analysis.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 20.44±1.70 years, and the mean age at menarche was 13.47±1.33 years. Most students lived with their families (62.7%), did not smoke (72.7%) or consume alcohol (90%), and did not exercise regularly (84.6%). The mean scores were 146.38±41.45 for the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, 47.50±11.00 for the Pre-menstrual Change Coping Inventory, and 94.07±19.76 for the Self-Care Agency Scale. Self-care agency was moderately positively correlated with Premenstrual Change Coping Inventory scores and weakly negatively correlated with certain subscale scores of the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale. Weak positive correlations were also observed between certain subscales of the Premenstrual Change Coping Inventory and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale.

Conclusion: Premenstrual syndrome is a common health concern among young female university students. Promoting self-care agency and supporting self-care behaviors may be valuable in helping students cope more effectively with premenstrual symptoms.

Keywords: Coping, premenstrual syndrome, self-care agency, university students