The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Stress, Burnout, and General Health in Psychiatric Nurses

NCT07015372 — Not applicable, Completed, 70 participants, Bezmialem Vakif University

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The Effect of Laughter Yoga on General Health Status, Perceived Stress Level, and Burnout in Psychiatric Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Registry	NCT07015372
Status	Completed
Phase	Not applicable
Study type	Interventional; randomized, parallel, masking: none, health services research
Enrollment	70 (Actual)
Sponsor	Bezmialem Vakif University (Other)
Conditions	Burnout, Perceived Stress, Occupational Stress, General Health, Psychiatric Nursing
Interventions	Laughter Yoga (Behavioral)
Dates	start 2023-07-01, primary completion 2023-09-01, completion 2023-09-01, first posted 2025-06-11, last updated 2025-06-11
Locations	1 site in Turkey (Türkiye)

-Summary

This study aims to examine the effects of laughter yoga on general health, perceived stress, and burnout among psychiatric nurses. Nurses working in psychiatric units are often exposed to high levels of occupational stress, which may impact their well-being and job performance. This trial was designed to evaluate the potential benefits of laughter yoga as a supportive intervention in this context.

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+Detailed description

Psychiatric nurses frequently face emotionally intense situations, aggressive patient behaviors, and heavy workloads. These factors are known to contribute to elevated stress levels and burnout.

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial at a psychiatric hospital located on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, Türkiye. A total of 70 psychiatric nurses voluntarily participated and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group (n=35 per group).

The experimental group received an eight-session laughter yoga program, with each session lasting approximately 30 minutes. Sessions were held face-to-face in small groups and facilitated by a trained laughter yoga instructor. Each session included four components: warm-up and clapping exercises, deep breathing, childlike playfulness, and structured laughter activities. The control group received no intervention during the study period.

Data were collected before and after the intervention using the following validated tools:

Nurse Demographic Information Form

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)

General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28)

The study was approved by the relevant ethics committee, and all participants provided informed consent prior to enrollment.

+Arms and interventions

Arm	Type	Interventions	Description
Experimental: Laughter Yoga	Experimental	Behavioral: Laughter Yoga	Participants in this group received a structured laughter yoga program consisting of 8 sessions over approximately four weeks. Each session lasted about 30 minutes and included clapping, breathing exercises, playful activities, and laughter exercises. Sessions were delivered face-to-face in small groups.
Control: No Intervention	No intervention		Participants in this group did not receive any intervention during the study period. They continued their usual routines and duties. The same pre- and post-test assessments were applied as in the experimental group.

Laughter Yoga (Behavioral): Laughter yoga intervention including clapping, breathing, childlike play, and laughter exercises, delivered in 8 sessions over 4 weeks to reduce stress and burnout and improve general health among psychiatric nurses.

+Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

Change in Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Total Score [Baseline and after 4 weeks (post-intervention)]: The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is used to assess burnout levels among psychiatric nurses. Scores range from low to high burnout. A decrease in score indicates reduced burnout. The scale has three subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.
Change in Perceived Stress Level (PSS-10 Total Score) [Baseline and Week 4 (post-intervention)]: Perceived stress is measured using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress. A decrease in score reflects improvement.
Change in General Health Status (GHQ-28 Total Score) [Baseline and Week 4 (post-intervention)]: General health is evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), which includes somatic symptoms, anxiety/insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression subscales. Total scores range from 0 to 28, with lower scores indicating better general health status.

+Eligibility

Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to 65 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Being a psychiatric nurse at the specified hospital
* Volunteering to participate
* Not receiving psychiatric treatment currently

Exclusion Criteria:

* Chronic physical illnesses that could interfere
* Inability to attend all sessions

+Locations (1)

Facility	City	Country	Status
Erenköy Ruh ve Sinir Hastalıkları Hastanesi	Istanbul	Turkey (Türkiye)

+Investigators

Ayşe V Dost, Study director, Bezmialem Vakıf Üniversitesi