Effect of laughter yoga on mental symptoms and salivary cortisol levels in first‐year nursing students: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background University students are faced with several stress factors affecting their mental health. Therefore, the first year at university is a period that calls for careful attention and research. Aim The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of laughter yoga on mental symptoms and cortisol levels in nursing students. Methods This study is a randomized controlled study employing a pre‐/post‐test design with a control group. A total of 75 healthy university students were assigned to the intervention group and control group. The Brief Symptom Inventory was applied to both groups before Session 1 and after Session 8. Saliva samples were taken from the students to measure their cortisol levels before and after each session. Results Evaluation of the mean scores obtained from the Brief Symptom Inventory before and after the intervention showed a significant decrease in the scores between groups (P < 0.05). In three out of the eight sessions, there was a significant decrease in the intervention group compared with the control group regarding the mean values of pre‐test and post‐test salivary cortisol levels (P < 0.05). Conclusion Laughter yoga can provide an effective means to help first‐year nursing students cope with stress and reduce mental symptoms.

The effect of online laughter therapy on depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness among nursing students during the Covid-19 pandemic

“…According to this result, H.1 hypothesis was accepted. The findings of our study are similar to the studies in which face-to-face laughter therapy was performed on nursing students before the pandemic (Ozturk & Tezel, 2021;Yazdani 2014). In a study of elderly women with depression in Iran, laughter therapy was found to be effective in the improvement of depression (Shahidi et al, 2010).…”

“…The intervention group took eight online sessions of laughter therapy, that is two sessions per week for four weeks. The number of laughter therapy sessions in this study was determined in line with the studies in the literature (Ozturk & Tezel, 2021;Yazdani 2014). Each laughter therapy session lasted about 40-45 minutes.…”

“…It is stated that laughter therapy reduces levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness (Alıcı & Bahçeli, 2020;Bennett & Lengacher, 2008;Kataria, 2011;Kaur & Walia, 2008;Kim et al, 2015;Shahidi et al, 2011;Yazdani, 2014). In a study of nursing freshmen before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported that face-to-face laughter yoga significantly reduced salivary cortisol, a biomarker of stress, as well as depression and anxiety (Ozturk & Tezel, 2021). It is recommended to conduct online activities to improve the mental state of students and provide support during the pandemic process (Wang et al, 2020).…”

Shared Stressors and Stress Coping Strategies in Start-up Teams

“…"The positive psychological effect of laughter therapy includes mental alertness, increase in concentration, cooperation, creativity and self-confidence plus better ability to cope with stress" (Kaur and Walia, 2008, p. 35). The resent study by Ozturk and Tezel (2021) showed that laughter yoga reduces levels of anxiety, depression, negative self, and hostility.…”

The effect of laughter therapy on happiness and self‐esteem level in 5th grade students

“…In a study conducted on 7th grade students in Taiwan, the investigators reported that laughter therapy had positive effects on mood, yet without any effect on self‐esteem (Chang et al, 2013). However, a study conducted by Ozturk and Tezel (2021), found that laughter therapy had an ameliorating effect on negative self‐esteem levels. This result echoes Mora‐Ripoll's systematic review which reported that laughter therapy improved social relations, increased the level of happiness, and improved both self‐esteem and quality of life (Mora‐Ripoll, 2010).…”