The effect of laughter yoga on depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A randomized clinical trial

Diagnosis of cancer causes deep emotional problems such as depression in a patient with cancer. Laughter yoga involves laughter exercises that may be effective in treating depression in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of laughter yoga on depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

This two-group randomized clinical trial was conducted on 69 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Reza Medical Center in Mashhad in 2018. Patients were randomly divided into intervention or control groups. For the intervention group, before chemotherapy a 20-30 minute laughter yoga session was performed daily for four days. The control group received routine self-care training. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory before and after the laughter yoga sessions. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, and paired t-test through the SPSS software version 20.

Women made up 67% (n=46) of the participants in the study. The mean age of patients in the intervention group was 49.0±9.6 years and in the control group 45.2±12.6 years. The mean score of depression in the post-test in the intervention group (7.50±6.04) was significantly lower than that of in the control group (12.54±7.53) (P<0.005). In within-group comparison, there was a significant decrease in the depression score in the intervention group (P<0.001).

Laughter yoga improved depression in the patients undergoing chemotherapy. Thus, its use is recommended for these patients.