An analysis of 29 relevant studies that included a total of 2,964 participants from nine different countries has concluded that humour therapy may provide a favourable alternative for clinicians, nurses, and patients.
For the analysis, which has been published in Brain and Behavior, investigators included participants who had depression or anxiety, children undergoing surgery or anaesthesia, older people in nursing homes, patients with Parkinson’s disease, cancer, mental illness, or receiving dialysis, retired women, and college students.
Examples of humour therapy included medical clowns and laughter therapy/yoga.
Most participants thought humour therapy lessened their depression and anxiety.
This lends support to the idea that humour therapy could become a viable and accessible complementary alternative therapy for clinicians and patients alike.
“As a simple and feasible complementary alternative therapy, humour therapy may provide a favourable alternative for clinicians, nurses, and patients in the future,” the authors wrote.
