Prescribing Laughter for Sleep and Wellbeing in UAE University Students

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Mental Health Wellness; Sleep
• Interventions: Other: Laughie laughter prescription; Device: Sleep tracking equipment

• Registration Number: NCT04171245
• Lead Sponsor: Zayed University

Brief Summary

This study is in line with the UAEs national drive to promote happiness and wellbeing. University students risk impaired psychological health, wellbeing, and sleep due to academic pressures. This research is the first to assess the feasibility of using a laughter prescription to improve psychological health and sleep in Zayed University students. Forty students will be recruited, and randomized to a control or laughter group.

Detailed Description

The Laughie is a self created app or tool. It is a one minute recording of the user's joyful laughter on their smartphone. Once recorded, the user uses it by playing back the recording and laughing with it for the duration of the one minute. The Laughie acts as a prompt to guide the one minute of laughter.

In this research the experimental group each record their own Laughie, demonstrated and supported by the PI(s). They are then prescribed to laugh with their Laughie: 3x a day the first week (morning, lunch, and afternoon) and at least 2x a day during the second week. Immediately after using their Laughie they fill in a Laughie checklist to record whether they laughed for the full minute, whether they enjoyed their Laughie, and how they felt afterwards.

This study tracks sleep using wrist actigraphy in the control group (no Laughie prescription) and in the Laughie group. All participants complete one week baseline using sleep watches, and sleep diaries, prior to the Laughie intervention. They all then continue to track their sleep during the intervention. All participants complete WHO Five well-being, PSKI, and HADS pre and post intervention. During the intervention the Laughie participants complete Laughie checklists. All participants are invited for a final interview (the control group about the sleep equipment experience). A follow-up survey is sent to the Laughie group 2 months after their prescription.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-09-26
• Status Verified: 2019-10
• Study First Submitted: 2019-11-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-11-18
• Study First Posted: 2019-11-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-01-09
• Last Update Posted: 2020-01-13
• Primary Completion: 2020-03-15
• Study Completion: 2020-04-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

Registered Zayed University students, owner of a smartphone -

Exclusion Criteria

Chronic health conditions (cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes), deafness, non-English speakers

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Experimental	Sleep tracking equipment	One minute laughter prescription 3x a day Tracking sleep using equipment
Experimental	Laughie laughter prescription	One minute laughter prescription 3x a day Tracking sleep using equipment
Control	Sleep tracking equipment	Tracking sleep using equipment

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Feasibility of two-week laughter prescription	6 months	Using the Laughie. Evaluate with Laughie checklists and interviews

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Assess if objective sleep outcomes improve	6 months	Using wrist actigraphy
Assess if overall well-being improves	6 months	Using WHO Five, Laughie checklists, and interviews
Assess if mental health improves	6 months	Using HADS, interviews
Assess if subjective sleep outcomes improve	6 months	Using PSKI and interviews
Assess if specific aspects of wellbeing improve	6 months	Using WHO Five, Laughie checklists, interviews

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Zayed University; 🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates