The Effect of Laughter Therapy on the Mental Health of Elderly Living in a Nursing Home

NCT06722872 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IstanbulUC-NURS-OK-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 69
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study was designed and conducted as a randomized controlled experimental research with a pre-test and post-test control group to evaluate the effect of laughter therapy on psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health of elderly individuals living in a nursing home.

Conditions

Laughter; Mental Health Issue; Life Satisfaction; Well-Being, Psychological; Elderly

Keywords

Laughter therapy; Old age; Psychological well-being; Life satisfaction; Mental health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Psychological Well-Being Scale for Older Adults

  The scale was used to measure the psychological well-being levels of older adults. It consists of 15 items in a 5-point Likert format (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree). No specific cutoff score has been determined for the well-being levels of older adults. Higher scores indicate an increase in the level of well-being. The minimum score obtainable from the scale is 15, while the maximum score is 75.

  Pre-test, Post-test (6th week), Follow-up Test (4th week)

• Life Satisfaction Scale for Older Adults

  The scale was used to assess the participation of older adults in the process of life satisfaction. It consists of 14 items across 3 subdimensions and is structured as a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree). The scale includes 9 items under the "Self-Acceptance" subdimension, 2 items under the "Motivation" subdimension, and 3 items under the "Peace" subdimension. Scores range from 14 to 70, with individual subdimension scores calculated by dividing the total score by the number of items in each subdimension. The "Self-Acceptance" subdimension ranges from 9 to 45, the "Motivation" subdimension from 2 to 10, and the "Peace" subdimension from 3 to 15.

  Pre-test, Post-test (6th week), Follow-up Test (4th week)

• Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)

  The scale was used to assess the mood of older adults by identifying their levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. DASS-21 is a shortened version of the 42-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. It consists of 21 items in a 4-point Likert format (0 = Never, 1 = Sometimes, 2 = Often, 3 = Always) and includes three subdimensions: depression, anxiety, and stress. Each subdimension is measured by 7 questions.

  Pre-test, Post-test (6th week), Follow-up Test (4th week)

Study Arms (2)

Laughter therapy group

EXPERIMENTAL

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.

Other: Laughter therapy

No intervention group

NO INTERVENTION

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.

Interventions

Laughter therapy OTHER

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.

Laughter therapy group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years - 105 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being over the age of 65
• Scoring ≥ 18 points on the Mini-Mental Examination
• Having the ability to communicate
• Not having participated in a laughter therapy session before

You may not qualify if:

• Having severe hearing or perception impairment that hinders communication
• 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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa: lead

Study Sites (1)

KASEV Huzurevi

Istanbul, Tuzla, 34948, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Laughter; Personal Satisfaction; Psychological Well-Being

Interventions

Laughter Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nonverbal Communication; Communication; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: In order to prevent selection bias in the study, the assignment to the experimental and control groups will be made on a computer by a person who is unfamiliar with the research process. Individuals included in the study will not be told whether they are in the experimental or control group. The analysis of the data will be done by a statistics expert who is outside the research process.
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Asisstant

Model Details: Two groups with experimental and control groups

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 3, 2024
• First Posted: December 9, 2024
• Study Start: April 16, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 26, 2024
• Study Completion: June 26, 2024
• Last Updated: December 10, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)