Mapping existing psychosocial interventions for menstrual distress across populations and settings: a systematic scoping review protocol

Menstrual distress affects a substantial proportion of adults of reproductive age and can significantly impair quality of life, psychological wellbeing, and daily functioning. In this review, the term menstrual distress is used to encompass both physiological and psychological symptoms related to menstruation and the accompanying negative consequences of these symptoms for the individual. While pharmacological and medical approaches are commonly used, there is growing recognition of the psychological, emotional, and social dimensions of menstrual distress, alongside increasing interest in psychosocial interventions, including components such as cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, mindfulness-based approaches, relaxation training, and psychoeducation. However, the existing evidence base for psychosocial interventions in this area is fragmented, heterogeneous, and has not yet been comprehensively mapped across several menstrual symptoms. The purpose of this systematic scoping review is to identify, categorise, and synthesise existing psychosocial interventions that have been used to address menstrual distress across populations and settings. Guided by the Population Concept Context framework and established scoping review methodology, the review will systematically search major health and psychology databases to capture a broad range of intervention studies published since 2000. If this initially produces a very large volume of results, a reduced time scale will be considered to ensure the most up to date evidence is captured while balancing screening feasibility. Eligible studies will include adults (≥18 years) experiencing menstrual-related distress, across community, clinical, educational, or online contexts, and will encompass a wide range of interventional study designs, reflecting the exploratory and mapping-focused aims of the review. Grey literature of relevant interventions that have been carried out in clinical or community settings but have not been published in scientific journals will also be included to ensure a comprehensive outlook of existing interventions. The review will address three primary questions: (1) what psychosocial interventions have been used to address menstrual distress; (2) what evidence exists regarding their feasibility, acceptability, reported outcomes and effectiveness; and (3) what intervention components are described and appear potentially relevant for future intervention development. Due to the focus on scoping existing literature, the review will map reported outcomes, including menstrual pain, premenstrual symptoms, mood-related outcomes, quality of life, and functional impairment, and synthesise findings narratively. Particular attention will be paid to intervention characteristics such as modality, delivery format, duration, and theoretical orientation, as well as the contexts and populations in which interventions have been implemented. The expected outcomes of this review are a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of psychosocial interventions for menstrual distress, identification of gaps in the evidence base, and clarification of which intervention components may warrant further development or evaluation. The findings are intended to inform future intervention design, guide clinical and research priorities, and contribute to the broader menstrual health literature. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations, and inclusion within a doctoral thesis, with relevance for researchers, clinicians, and menstrual health stakeholders.