A Comparative study to Assess the Effectiveness of Acupressure Vs Reflexology on Premenstrual Syndrome among Adolescent Girls in Selected Schools at Erode, Tamilnadu

Abstract

A True experimental design was used to assess the effectiveness of acupressure Vs reflexology on premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girls in selected schools at Erode, Tamilnadu. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: 1. To assess the level of premenstrual syndrome among Experimental Group I of adolescent girls before and after acupressure. 2. To assess the level of premenstrual syndrome among Experimental Group II of adolescent girls before and after reflexology. 3. To determine the effectiveness of acupressure and reflexology on pre menstrual syndrome among adolescent girls in Experimental Group I and II. 4. To compare the effectiveness of acupressure and reflexology on pre menstrual syndrome among adolescent girls in experimental group I and II. 5. To find out the association between post test scores of pre menstrual syndrome among experimental group I and II of adolescent girls with their demographic variables. The theoretical framework used in this study was based on Imogene King’s Goal Attainment theory. The sample size of the study was 250 adolescent girls, the instrument used for data collection were a structured interview to collect demographic variable. Assessment of level of premenstrual syndrome was measured by Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS). Acupressure (Experimental group I) and Reflexology (Experimental group II) was given to adolescent girls on individual basis. Assessment of Effectiveness of Acupressure and Reflexology on level of premenstrual syndrome was measured by using same pre test scale. MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: ♦ Acupressure and reflexology is an intervention in reducing premenstrual syndrome as the pre test mean premenstrual syndrome score (161.98 ± 6.63, which is 81%) and (160.61± 7.15, which is 80%) was less than the post test mean premenstrual syndrome score (82.48 ± 4.23, which is 41%) and (76.74 ± 5.2, which is 38%) in experimental group I and II respectively. The calculated unpaired ‘t’ value (t= 21.91 and t = 23.46) was higher than the table value (t 124 = 1.980, p<0.05). ♦ There was a significant reduction in post test premenstrual syndrome score of adolescent girls in experimental group I than the post test premenstrual syndrome score of experimental group II. The computed ‘t’ value (t= 9.56) was greater than the table value (t 248 = 2.828, p<0.05) ♦ There is no significant association between post test premenstrual syndrome score with demographic variables of adolescent girls in experimental group I and II. ♦ There is significant association between post test premenstrual syndrome score with demographic variables of adolescent girls in experimental group I with education of parent and experimental group II with class (Standard). CONCLUSION: Acupressure and reflexology is an effective intervention to reduce the level of premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girls. But reflexology was more effective than acupressure on premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girls. The result of the study showed that regular practice of acupressure and reflexology would be beneficial in reducing the premenstrual syndrome