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

The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Anger Levels and Subjective Well-Being in School-Aged Children

This study aims to evaluate the effects of laughter yoga on anger levels and mental well-being in schoolchildren. Research indicates that laughter yoga has the potential to reduce stress and improve communication skills. There have been few studies specifically targeting children with high anger levels and low mental well-being. This study focuses on children under stress or with limited social support. Laughter yoga is a fun and effective technique that can be easily integrated into children's daily lives. The study is expected to provide positive contributions to the educational environment and reduce behavioral issues.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anger Problems; Spiritual Well-being
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Laughter-Based Anger Reduction Program

Detailed Description

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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 96
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Mersin
    • Akdeniz, Mersin, Turkey (Türkiye), 33010
      • Ahmet Mete Işıkara Primary School
    • Akdeniz, Mersin, Turkey (Türkiye), 33010
      • Hurriyet Primary School

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

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.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group Receiving Laughter Yoga; Eight Laughter Yoga Sessions, Each Lasting 40 Minutes, Conducted Twice a Week, for Students with High Anger Levels	Behavioral: Laughter-Based Anger Reduction Program; This intervention involves structured Laughter Yoga sessions lasting 40 minutes each, conducted twice a week. It specifically targets students with high anger levels. The program combines breathing exercises, playful laughter activities, and relaxation techniques to reduce stress and promote emotional regulation. Unlike other interventions, this program uniquely emphasizes laughter as a tool for managing anger and enhancing overall well-being.
No Intervention: Group Without Any Intervention; Participants Receiving No Intervention to Assess Baseline Anger Levels

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Emotion Regulation Scale for Children (ÇDDÖ)	Emotion Regulation Scale for Children (ÇDDÖ) is designed to assess emotion regulation skills in children aged 8-12. The scale consists of four subscales: Anger (9 items), Excitement (5 items), Fear (8 items), and Sadness (7 items). Each item is rated using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (does not describe me at all) to 4 (describes me completely). In the reliability and validity study of the Turkish version, the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was found to be 0.85 for the overall scale. Additionally, there are reverse-scored items (Anger items: 2, 9; Excitement items: 4, 5; Fear items: 3, 6, 7).An increase in the total score indicates an improvement in emotion regulation levels. The average score is 79.50 ± 11.11. Scores below 68.39 indicate poor emotion regulation skills, while scores above 90.61 indicate a positive condition. The ÇDDÖ is planned to be administered on three different occasions: as a pre-test,post-test, and one-month follow-up.	2 MONTHS
Mental Well-Being Survey	This survey study aims to evaluate children's daily emotional states using a visual tool. Every day before going to bed, children select the expression that best reflects their emotional state. For evaluation, five facial expressions rated from 1 (very sad) to 5 (very happy) will be used. The scores of the facial expressions selected each day will be collected over a period of 30 days. The collected scores will help determine whether a child's mood trends positively or negatively. In the planned study, the minimum score will be 5, and the maximum score will be 25. Based on these scores, values above the average will be considered indicators of a positive mood, while values below the average will be viewed as signs of a negative emotional state. The study is planned to include a 4-week measurement and subsequently the first-month measurements.	2 Months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mersin University
• Investigators: Study Director: Emine Öncü, Advisor, Mersin University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 16, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 16, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 10, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): February 14, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 27, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 25, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ANGER; LAUGHTER YOGA; SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING; SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2024/1224

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: If someone wants to use the data, they will request permission, and it will be shared based on suitability.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No