The Effects of Laughter Therapy Program on Perceived Stress, and Psycho-Neuro-Endocrino-Immuno Responses in Obese Women.
10.4040/jkan.2018.48.3.298
- Author:
Do Young LEE
1
;
Myung Sun HYUN
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Changshin University, Changwon, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Laughter Therapy;
Psychological Stress;
Obesity;
Physiological Stress Response
- MeSH:
Blood Glucose;
Body Mass Index;
Fasting;
Female;
Humans;
Hydrocortisone;
Interleukin-6;
Laughter Therapy*;
Laughter*;
Obesity;
Stress, Physiological;
Stress, Psychological;
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2018;48(3):298-310
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the laughter therapy program on perceived stress and psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune responses in obese women. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group with a pretest-posttest design was used. The participants (n=60), whose age ranged from 30 to 50 years (pre-menopausal and body mass index of over 25 kg/m2), were assigned to the experimental group (n=24) or control group (n=26). The experimental group was provided with the laughter therapy program (12 sessions) for 6 weeks. RESULTS: There were significant differences in perceived stress, psychological stress response, fasting blood sugar, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha between the two groups after the program. However, there were no significant differences in normalized low frequency (norm LF), normalized high frequency (norm HF), LF/HF ratio, and cortisol between the two groups after the program. CONCLUSION: It was found that the laughter therapy program had positive effects on some variables in terms of perceived stress and psycho-neuro-endocrine-immuno responses. It is suggested that the laughter therapy in this study can provide the direction for developing a program for obese women.
