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

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Perceived Stress; Occupational Stress; General Health; Psychiatric Nursing; Burnout

• Registration Number: NCT07015372
• Lead Sponsor: Bezmialem Vakif University

Brief 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.

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.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-07-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-09-01
• Study Completion: 2023-09-01
• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Study First Submitted: 2025-06-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-06-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-08
• Study First Posted: 2025-06-11
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 70

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
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 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 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.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Erenköy Ruh ve Sinir Hastalıkları Hastanesi; 🇹🇷 Istanbul, Turkey