Elif Üner ASIL
International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research - 2025;6(3):143-150
Backgroud and Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of laughter therapy in reducing anxiety and well-being subjective happiness among university students. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with 38 first-year nursing students. The intervention consisted of eight 50-minute laughter therapy sessions delivered by a certified laughter therapist using structured techniques including breathing, clapping, playful exercises, and guided laughter. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Results: Significant improvements were observed following the intervention. Post-intervention analyses demonstrated significant improvements, with anxiety scores decreasing and happiness scores increasing (p<0.001). Large effect sizes (r~=0.50) for both scales and sub-dimensions indicated strong practical significance. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence that laughter therapy is an effective, non-pharmacological approach for alleviating anxiety and promoting happiness among university students. Integration of laughter-based activities into mental health promotion programs in higher education is recommended. Further controlled studies with larger and more diverse samples are warranted to confirm generalizability and assess long-term effects.
