The Effect of Laughter Therapy on the Mental Health of Elderly Living in a Nursing Home
NCT ID: NCT06722872
Last Updated: 2024-12-10
Study Results
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Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
69 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2024-04-16
2024-06-26
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Life satisfaction is considered one of the most significant factors influencing mental health and determining adaptation during all stages of life, particularly in old age. As an indicator of well-being, life satisfaction has a positive correlation with psychological resilience and mental health. Thus, psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health of elderly individuals are interconnected, and interventions aimed at enhancing well-being and life satisfaction are known to positively affect the mental health of older adults.
In this context, laughter therapy has recently gained attention as an approach with observed positive effects on the physical and mental health of elderly individuals. Laughter therapy, developed by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995, aims to support physical and mental health through laughter and breathing exercises.
Meta-analyses and systematic reviews indicate that laughter therapy has positive psychosocial effects on older adults, including reducing depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, enhancing psychological well-being, regulating blood pressure and cortisol levels, improving sleep and quality of life, reducing death anxiety, loneliness, and depressive tendencies, and increasing happiness, life satisfaction, and mood. Laughter therapy is considered a non-invasive, non-pharmacological, cost-effective, accessible, and easy-to-apply complementary/alternative therapy, with calls for further evidence-based studies to promote its use.
Within this framework, the aim of this research is to determine the effect of laughter therapy on the psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health of elderly individuals.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
DOUBLE
Study Groups
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Laughter therapy group
Pre-tests were collected 10 days before the therapy began. The elderly participants were introduced individually and informed face-to-face about laughter therapy. Therapy sessions were conducted face-to-face twice a week, with a total of 12 sessions. Each laughter therapy session lasted 50 minutes. Post-tests were collected immediately after the final therapy session. Four weeks later, follow-up tests were also conducted face-to-face.
Laughter therapy
Laughter therapy, developed by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995, is a structured exercise program use of laughter and breathing exercises.Laughter therapy sessions begin with warm-up techniques, including clapping, singing, and stretching movements. These are followed by breathing exercises to prepare the lungs for laughter. After the breathing exercises, laughter is simulated using acting techniques. Shortly thereafter, the simulated laughter spreads from person to person through group dynamics, transforming into genuine laughter, which is then followed by a series of laughter exercises. A laughter therapy session may conclude with laughter meditation, during which participants allow natural laughter to flow freely, followed by guided relaxation exercises. To maximize the benefits of laughter's contagious nature, it is recommended that laughter therapy be conducted in groups. Each session varies depending on the target audience, typically lasting around 45 minutes.
No intervention group
The control group did not receive laughter therapy; they continued with routine nursing home care. Pre-tests, post-tests, and follow-up tests were collected on the same days as the experimental group. After the follow-up tests were completed, a 30-minute laughter therapy session was provided to control group participants who wished to participate.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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Laughter therapy
Laughter therapy, developed by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995, is a structured exercise program use of laughter and breathing exercises.Laughter therapy sessions begin with warm-up techniques, including clapping, singing, and stretching movements. These are followed by breathing exercises to prepare the lungs for laughter. After the breathing exercises, laughter is simulated using acting techniques. Shortly thereafter, the simulated laughter spreads from person to person through group dynamics, transforming into genuine laughter, which is then followed by a series of laughter exercises. A laughter therapy session may conclude with laughter meditation, during which participants allow natural laughter to flow freely, followed by guided relaxation exercises. To maximize the benefits of laughter's contagious nature, it is recommended that laughter therapy be conducted in groups. Each session varies depending on the target audience, typically lasting around 45 minutes.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Scoring ≥ 18 points on the Mini-Mental Examination
* Having the ability to communicate
* Not having participated in a laughter therapy session before
Exclusion Criteria
* Having a physical or psychological condition that prevents participation in therapy
* Having moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease, uncontrolled hypertension, epilepsy, abdominal surgery within the past 3 months, or a surgical procedure with a risk of bleeding
* Choosing not to continue participating in the study
65 Years
105 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Özge Karaca
Research Asisstant
Locations
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KASEV Huzurevi
Istanbul, Tuzla, Turkey (Türkiye)
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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IstanbulUC-NURS-OK-01
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id