The Effect of Laughter Yoga in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Self-management and Comfort in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of laughter yoga on self-management skills and comfort levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Comfort; Diabetic; Laughter Yoga
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Laughter yoga

Detailed Description

Diabetes is a major global health problem affecting more than 537 million adults worldwide, a number expected to rise substantially in the coming decades. Type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent form, requires consistent self-management to maintain glycemic control and prevent complications. However, individuals living with chronic illness often experience ongoing physiological fatigue and emotional stress, which can reduce self-efficacy and hinder engagement in self-management behaviors. Comfort, identified as an important psychological resource, plays a supportive role in sustaining these behaviors.

Katharine Kolcaba's Comfort Theory proposes that health behaviors can be positively influenced by enhancing individuals' physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental comfort. Laughter Yoga-a mind-body intervention combining intentional laughter with breathing and relaxation techniques-has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and increase parasympathetic activity. Previous studies involving individuals with Type 2 diabetes have reported reductions in HbA1c, decreased stress levels, and improved quality of life following Laughter Yoga interventions. However, limited research has simultaneously examined its effects on both self-management behaviors and comfort levels.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of Laughter Yoga on self-management behaviors and comfort levels among individuals with Type 2 diabetes.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes
• Age 18 years or older
• Willingness to participate in the Laughter Yoga intervention
• Ability to read and comprehend Turkish

Exclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes
• Participation in individual psychotherapy or group-based psychological intervention programs
• Experience of a recent loss within the past month (e.g., death, divorce)
• Presence of any psychiatric diagnosis
• Use of psychiatric medication
• Severe visual or hearing impairment preventing active participation in the intervention
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Limitations in reading or comprehending Turkish

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: control group
Experimental: Laughter yoga	Behavioral: Laughter yoga; Arm Description: A structured laughter yoga program delivered twice weekly for four weeks. Each 40-minute session includes warm-up and breathing exercises (5-7 min), guided laughter exercises (15-20 min), diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation (5-7 min), and mindfulness-based closing practices (3-5 min). Conducted by a certified facilitator.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Diabetes Self-Management Score (Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire - DSMQ)	The Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ), originally developed by Schmitt et al. (2013), will be used to evaluate diabetes self-management behaviors. The DSMQ consists of 16 items and four subscales: Glucose Management Dietary Control Physical Activity Health-Care Use Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale (0-3). Seven items are scored positively, and nine items are reverse-scored. Total scores are calculated by dividing the raw score by the maximum possible score and multiplying by 10. The resulting values range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating better diabetes self-management.	Baseline (Day 0) and Week 4
Comfort Level Score (General Comfort Questionnaire - Short Form)	The General Comfort Questionnaire - Short Form, developed by Kolcaba (2006), will be used to assess comfort levels across physical, psychospiritual, environmental, and social domains. The scale consists of 28 items and three subscales: Relief Ease Transcendence Items are rated on a 6-point Likert scale (1-6). Negative items are reverse-scored. The total comfort score ranges from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater comfort.	Baseline (Day 0) and Week 4

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bozok University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 25, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 6, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): December 9, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 9, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 6, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: comfort; diabetic; laughter yoga; self-governance
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Therapeutics; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Laughter Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: Yobu

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No