The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Menstrual Pain Level (Dysmenorrhea) Among Adolescent Girls at SMAN 92 North Jakarta

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is pain felt during menstruation and is often experienced by adolescent girls, which can interfere with daily activities, including the learning process.. Emotional regulation plays a role in managing the response to this pain. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between emotional regulation and the level of menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) in adolescent girls at SMAN 92 North Jakarta.

This study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design and correlational research type. A sample of 90 respondents was selected using a purposive sampling technique. The instruments used were an emotional regulation questionnaire and a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) to measure the level of menstrual pain. Data analysis was carried out using the Spearman Rank test via SPSS version 29.

The results showed that most respondents had poor emotional regulation (76.7%) and experienced severe menstrual pain (58.0%). Spearman Rank test showed a significant relationship between emotional regulation and menstrual pain levels with a p value <0.001 and a correlation coefficient of -0.787. This shows that the worse the emotional regulation, the higher the level of menstrual pain felt.

These findings highlight the essential role of nurses particularly school and community health nurses—in providing education and psychological support related to emotion regulation and pain management. Nurses are encouraged to develop non-pharmacological interventions such as emotional regulation training, relaxation techniques, and psychosocial approaches to help adolescents manage menstruation in a healthier and more productive way.

Keywords:emotional regulation, dysmenorrhea, menstrual pain, adolescent girls