Effectiveness of laughter therapy on reduction of stress among nursing students

Abstract

Context: Stability of hormones are being effected by consistent stress in the human body which leads to changes in thoughts and situations that make the individual perplexed, restless or anxious. Laughter therapy is the antidote for stress. It helps to release serotonin in brain which is essential for the uplift of mood. Aim: The aim of this research is to find out the efficacy of laughter therapy on the decline of stress. Setting and design: Data collection for the commenced study was conducted at Sri Sukhmani College of Nursing and Amar Professional College of Nursing, Dyalpura, District Mohali, Punjab. A quantitative approach with “Quasi-experimental design” was adopted to conduct this research. Methods and Material: Technique used for selecting the subjects was purposive sampling technique. 60 subjects were selected and sub grouped into experimental and control group (30 each). 5 point likert scale i.e. Sheldon Cohen‟s (1983) Perceived Stress Scale which includes 10 items, was selected to evaluate the level of stress among nursing students. Statistical analysis used: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results: • Before implementation of laughter therapy, it was identified that stress scores were approximately same in both the groups. • After implementation of therapy, it was identified that stress scores in the experimental group was lower than the control group. Conclusions: Study concluded with the result that stress level is alleviating among student nurses with help of laughter therapy.