Academic Journal
Laughter intervention for stress reduction in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
| Τίτλος: | Laughter intervention for stress reduction in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Li L; Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, #800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China., Cui Y; Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, #800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China., Guo X; Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, #800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China., Zhou Y; Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, #800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China., Tang Y; Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, #800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China. tangyun7633@sina.com. |
| Πηγή: | BMC psychology [BMC Psychol] 2026 Apr 18; Vol. 14 (1). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Apr 18. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Systematic Review; Meta-Analysis |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101627676 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2050-7283 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20507283 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Psychol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2013]- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Stress, Psychological*/therapy , Laughter Therapy* , Laughter*, Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Adult |
| Περίληψη: | OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of laughter intervention in alleviating stress among adults through randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and explore sources of heterogeneity. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, 15 RCTs (1,344 participants) were identified via searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang Data up to June 2025. Study selection, quality assessment (Cochrane Risk of Bias tool), and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata17.0, with stress outcomes pooled via random-effects models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses assessed robustness and heterogeneity. Interventions included laughter yoga, simulated laughter sessions, and comedy-based therapies, delivered either online or in person, over durations ranging from 1 to 16 weeks. RESULTS: Laughter intervention significantly reduced stress (SMD = − 1.41, 95% CI: −2.04, − 0.78; p < 0.001), although high heterogeneity was observed (I² = 95.8%). Subgroup analyses confirmed consistent benefits across clinical patients, nurses, nursing students, and mothers of NICU children. Sensitivity analyses supported result stability (p < 0.001). The methodological quality of included studies was variable, with most showing some concerns regarding allocation concealment and blinding. CONCLUSIONS: Based on currently available RCT evidence, laughter intervention appears to be beneficial for reducing stress in diverse adult populations. However, the finding is tempered by high statistical heterogeneity and variable methodological quality across studies. Despite a large aggregate effect size, high heterogeneity limits the precision of the estimate. While promising, these results should be interpreted cautiously. Future research should prioritize multi-center designs, standardized outcome measures, and integration of objective biomarkers (e.g., cortisol) to strengthen evidence. Methodological improvements in RCT design and cultural adaptations are critical for clinical applicability. |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Laughter intervention; Meta-analysis; Psychological intervention; Randomized controlled trials; Stress reduction |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260418 Date Completed: 20260628 Latest Revision: 20260702 |
| Update Code: | 20260703 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13220625 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s40359-026-04526-1 |
| PMID: | 42001147 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 2050-7283 |
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| DOI: | 10.1186/s40359-026-04526-1 |