Academic Journal
The effect of laughter yoga on mental health, emotional, and cognitive functions of children: A systematic review.
| Title: | The effect of laughter yoga on mental health, emotional, and cognitive functions of children: A systematic review. |
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| Authors: | Jalilian M; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. Electronic address: milad.jalilian@kums.ac.ir., Tabei M; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. Electronic address: milad.tabei@muk.ac.ir. |
| Source: | Acta psychologica [Acta Psychol (Amst)] 2026 Apr; Vol. 264, pp. 106490. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Feb 27. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Systematic Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: North Holland Publishing Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 0370366 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-6297 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00016918 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Acta Psychol (Amst) Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Amsterdam : North Holland Publishing Original Publication: The Hague. |
| MeSH Terms: | Cognition*/physiology , Emotions*/physiology , Laughter*/psychology , Yoga*/psychology , Laughter Therapy* , Mental Health*, Anxiety/therapy ; Adolescent ; Child ; Humans |
| Abstract: | Background: Mental health challenges represent a global concern among children and adolescents. Laughter Yoga (LY), a non-pharmacological, exercise-based practice, demonstrates physiological and psychological benefits in children. Objective: This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence on LY's effects on children's mental, emotional, physical well-being and cognitive functions. Methods: A comprehensive systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guideline. Databases were systematically searched for relevant studies. The primary databases searched included PubMed/PubMed Central (PMC), Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria included studies on children and adolescents receiving LY interventions and reporting outcomes related to mental health, cognitive functions, or physical well-being. Study selection and data extraction were performed by independent reviewers. Findings were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity across studies. Results: Six eligible studies were identified. Evidence suggests that LY may reduce separation and generalized anxiety in school-aged children and improve anxiety in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Other potential benefits include improved emotional well-being (reduced hopelessness, loneliness, and school burnout), enhanced verbal working memory, and improved gross motor skills. However, the evidence base is limited, with substantial variation in study designs, interventions, and outcome measures. Conclusion: Laughter Yoga may offer a promising, accessible, non-pharmacological approach to supporting children's mental health, emotional well-being, and cognitive functioning. However, given the small number of included studies and substantial heterogeneity across interventions and outcomes, the current evidence remains preliminary and should be interpreted with caution. (Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Anxiety; Children; Cognitive functions; Depression; Emotion; Laughter yoga; Mental health; Stress; Well-being |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260227 Date Completed: 20260710 Latest Revision: 20260728 |
| Update Code: | 20260729 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106490 |
| PMID: | 41759444 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1873-6297 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106490 |