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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07062029

The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Spiritual Care Perception and Spiritual Well Being in Nursing Students

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if laughter yoga sessions improve spiritual well-being and perception of spiritual care among nursing students. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does laughter yoga increase the spiritual well-being scores of participants? Does laughter yoga improve participants' perception of spiritual care? Researchers will compare laughter yoga to no intervention (control group) to see if laughter yoga has an effect on spiritual well-being and spiritual care perception.

Participants will:

Attend laughter yoga sessions once a week for 4 weeks (intervention group) Complete questionnaires about their spiritual well-being and perception of spiritual care before and after the intervention Control group will not receive any intervention during this period, but will complete the same questionnaires at the same time points

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Key information

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Izmir Democracy University

Izmir, Konak, 35250, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of laughter yoga on spiritual well-being and perception of spiritual care among nursing students. The study uses a pretest-posttest control group design. A total of 60 nursing students in their third and fourth years were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, with 30 students in each group.

The intervention group will participate in laughter yoga sessions once a week for 4 weeks. Each session will last approximately 30 minutes and will be conducted by a certified laughter yoga leader in a quiet classroom environment where students can move freely. The control group will not receive any intervention during the study period.

Spiritual well-being will be measured using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) and perception of spiritual care will be measured using the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale (SCGS). Both scales will be administered before the intervention (pretest) and after the 4-week intervention period (posttest).

The study hypothesizes that laughter yoga will significantly increase spiritual well-being scores and improve students' perception of spiritual care compared to the control group.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Being a third- or fourth-year nursing student enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing at Izmir Demokrasi University during the 2024-2025 academic year
  • Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Irregular attendance to the intervention sessions
  • Failure to complete all sessions
  • Voluntary withdrawal from the study
  • Having a diagnosis of a respiratory disease (e.g., asthma, bronchitis, dyspnea)
  • Having a diagnosis of inguinal hernia or epilepsy
  • Having undergone abdominal surgery within the last three to six months

Treatment and study plan

laughter yoga

Other

The laughter yoga intervention consists of four sessions conducted once a week for four weeks. Each session lasts approximately 30 minutes and includes four components:

  • Warm-up exercises with clapping and rhythmic movements
  • Deep breathing exercises
  • Childlike playful activities and laughter exercises
  • Laughter meditation and relaxation Sessions are led by a certified laughter yoga leader in a quiet classroom setting that allows participants to move freely and comfortably. The intervention is designed to improve spiritual well-being and perception of spiritual care among nursing students.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Spiritual Well-Being Score

    Time frame: 1 week before intervention (baseline) and 1 week after completing the fourth session (Week 5)

    Spiritual well-being will be measured using the Three-Factor Spiritual Well-Being Scale, which has a total score range from 29 to 145, with higher scores indicating greater spiritual well-being.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale Score

    Time frame: 1 week before intervention (baseline) and 1 week after completing the fourth session (Week 5)

    Perception of spirituality and spiritual care will be assessed using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale, which is scored on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores indicating a more positive perception of spirituality and spiritual care.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Izmir Democracy University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Can Laughter Heal the Spirit? The Impact of Laughter Yoga on Spiritual Well-Being and Spiritual Care Perception in Nursing Students

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jul 14, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 14, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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