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Laughter Yoga, Adults Living With Parkinson׳s Disease, and Caregivers: A Pilot Study.

Explore (New York, N.Y.)
May 5, 2016
Debra Swedberg DeCaro et al. (2 authors)
Clinical TrialJournal ArticleHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine the impact of Laughter Yoga on well-being in adults with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers.

Results Summary

The study found statistically significant improvements in well-being measures (e.g., mood, stress, relaxation) for both adults with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers after a single Laughter Yoga session.

Population

Adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (n=47) and their caregivers (n=38).

Effective Dosage

One 45-minute Laughter Yoga session.

Duration

Single session (45 minutes).

Interactions

None mentioned.

Extracted Claims (3)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Laughter Yoga
increase
mood
physically healthy adults
-
generally improve
#1
Laughter Yoga
increase
mood
adults with heart disease or cancer
-
improve
#2
Laughter Yoga
increase
well-being
adults with Parkinson׳s disease and their caregivers
-
statistically significant improvements
#3
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study explored outcomes of Laughter Yoga in adults with Parkinson׳s disease (PD) and their caregivers. Laughter has been shown to generally improve mood in physically healthy adults, and specifically in adults with heart disease or cancer, but little research exists regarding the impact of laughter in adults with Parkinson׳s disease. Low mood is frequently a co-morbid condition for adults with Parkinson׳s disease, and can negatively affect their caregivers. DESIGN: Pre-experimental (O1 × O2) pretest-posttest design. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Data collection occurred at six unique PD support groups in Southern California. SUBJECTS: Participants (N = 85) comprised a convenience sample of adults diagnosed with Parkinson׳s disease (n = 47) and accompanying caregivers (n = 38). INTERVENTION: Subjects participated in a 45-min Laughter Yoga (LY) session conducted by a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. OUTCOME MEASURES: This study utilized the Laughter Yoga "How Do You Feel?" (HDYF) form. The form consists of a series of 10 scales labeled "well-being" measures including enthusiasm, energy level, mood, optimism, stress level, level of friendship with group members, level of awareness about breathing, level of muscle relaxation, level of mental relaxation, and ability to laugh without a reason. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Paired sample t-tests reveal statistically significant improvements in well-being for adults with PD and their caregivers after attending an LY session. Therapists and other clinicians should consider utilizing this unique technique with adults with PD to address co-morbid low-mood conditions and include caregivers in the LY sessions for support and their own benefit.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AffectAgedAged, 80 and overAnxietyCaregiversEmotionsFemaleHumansLaughterLaughter TherapyMaleMental HealthMiddle AgedMuscle RelaxationParkinson DiseasePilot ProjectsQuality of LifeRespirationYoga
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality70/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations13
Citations/Year1.4
Relative Citation Ratio0.93
NIH Percentile47.6%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score1.66
Normalized Score0.68
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