The Comparative Effectiveness of Deep Breathing Relaxation and Light Dysmenorrhea Exercise on Menstrual Pain Intensity in Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common menstrual disorders experienced by adolescent girls, which can interfere with daily activities and academic performance. Non-pharmacological interventions such as deep breathing relaxation and light dysmenorrhea exercise are widely recommended to reduce pain intensity. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of deep breathing relaxation and light dysmenorrhea exercise on menstrual pain intensity in adolescent girls. This research uses a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. A total of 36 respondents were selected using purposive sampling and divided equally into two intervention groups. Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney U test with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that both interventions significantly reduced dysmenorrhea pain intensity (p=0.000). However, the Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.032), where the light dysmenorrhea exercise group experienced a greater reduction in pain compared to the deep breathing relaxation group.