الفهرس 
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Abstract
Dysmenorrhea” is derived from the Greek root translating to difficult menstrual flow (Bang, ٢٠٠٩). According to Helms, (٢٠٠٧), dysmenorrhea can be divided into two broad categories: primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as recurrent, crampy pain occurring with menses in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology. Secondary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain associated with underlying pelvic pathology such as endometriosis. Primary dysmenorrhea usually begins in adolescence after the establishment of ovulatory cycles (Rosenwaks, ٢٠١٠). Abu-Hashem et al., (٢٠٠٦) reported that the results of recent studies showed that nearly ١٠ percent of females with dysmenorrhea experienced an absence rate of one to three days per month from work or were unable to do their regular/daily tasks due to their severe pain. It has been also shown that dysmenorrhea is considered the main cause of absence from school among young girl students. Although, due to cultural reasons, there are some wrong perceptions and beliefs about dysmenorrhea among girls in Egypt, only a few studies have been focused on this issue so far EI-Gilany et al. (٢٠١٠). While dealing with knowledge and attitudes of dysmenorrhea and from the viewpoint of health promotion, females’ self-care should be strengthened and medicalization should be reduced using different approaches and strategies to promote females’ quality of life and wellbeing (Chiou et al., ٢٠٠٧). To be effective, these approaches and strategies should be packaged into programs targeting outcomes specific to females in schools, within families and communities (Dennehy٢٠١٠). Such programs are called evidence-based programs (EBPs) (EBE, ٢٠١٠). Simply put, there are growing evidences ensuring that upgrading students’ knowledge and positive self-care practices regarding dysmenorrhea within an evidence-based program context yields direct and definite results in promoting students’ quality of life and wellbeing (Anderson et al., ٢٠٠٧). A Theoritical framework adapted from the Revised Symptom Management Model by (Dodd et al., ٢٠١٠) guided the current study. The model is based on the premise that to effectively manage a symptom, three interrelated dimensions should be considered: symptom experience, symptom management strategies and symptoms outcomes. Moreover, the contextual variables including personal factors, health and illness factors, and environmental factors influence the central three dimensions of the model (Dodd et al., ٢٠١٠). The study findings supported some aspects of the conceptual framework but not all. The current study aimed at determining nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-care practices toward dysmenorrhea, upgrading nursing students’ knowledge, promoting positive attitudes and disseminating correct self-care practices toward dysmenorrhea within an evidence-based program context. The present study was conducted at Faculty of Nursing, Menoufia University. Research hypotheses and time series design (a subtype of the quasi-experimental design) were used in carrying out the study.