Effects of Laughter Therapy on Anxiety, Stress, Depression and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: The quality of life of cancer patients is affected by the cancer therapy’s symptoms. Anxiety, stress, and depression all affect cancer patients thus reducing the life style of the patient. The aim of this review was to determine the effects of laughter therapy on anxiety, stress, depression, and quality of life in cancer patients. Methods: Articles were searched on PubMed and Google Scholar. This review includes randomized controlled trials and case reports from 2000-2015. Results: 41 studies were found on PubMed and 14,700 studies were found on Google Scholar search. Only two articles met the established review criteria in PubMed and four articles met the established review criteria in Google Scholar. In total, six articles were included in the study. Conclusion: The results of this study show that laughter therapy may decrease anxiety, stress, and depression and increase the quality of life in cancer patients.