Laughter Yoga's Impact on Children's Anger and Well-Being

This study is a randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the effects of laughter yoga on school-aged children's anger levels and mental well-being. The research encompasses a total of 2958 students from two primary schools in Mersin Akdeniz, using 396 fourth-grade students as the sample. Specifically, this research targets children exposed to stress or limited social support, as there are few studies focusing on children with high anger levels and low mental well-being. Children will be assigned to intervention and delay groups based on simple randomization of their anger scores. This process will be conducted branch-based with the assistance of another researcher, and neither participants nor statisticians will have access to group information. The research will collect data in four stages: pre-test, intervention process, post-test, and a follow-up one month later. At each stage, the Emotion Regulation Scale for Children and the Mental Well-Being Questionnaire will be used. Participants will fill in the Mental Well-Being Questionnaire every night before bed during the intervention period, allowing us to evaluate the study's effects. In the long term, it is expected that integrating laughter yoga into children's daily lives in a fun and effective way will provide positive contributions in educational settings and reduce behavioral problems. Research also indicates that laughter yoga has the potential for stress reduction and enhancing communication skills.

Inclusion criteria

• Being between the ages of 8-11,
• Being a student who regularly attends the school where the study is conducted between February 3 and June 6, when research data is collected,
• Having written consent from a parent/guardian to participate in the study,
• Being willing to participate in the study, and
• Scoring above the median on the Emotion Regulation Scale for Children.

Exclusion criteria

• Having a diagnosed health problem that could interfere with laughter exercises (respiratory issues, heart conditions, musculoskeletal problems),
• Having undergone psychological treatment in the last 3 months,
• Currently participating in another psychological support program, and
• Scoring below the median on the Emotion Regulation Scale for Children.
• The criteria for termination of the intervention are not attending two consecutive sessions and non-compliance with the study protocol.