Effectiveness of Integrative Laughter Therapy to Reduce Anxiety, Improve Self-Esteem and Increase Happiness: A Naturalistic Study at a Day Hospital for Addictive Disorders
Seyla De Francisco,
Cristina Torres,
Sandra De Andrés,
Ana Millet,
M. Teresa Ricart,
Elvira Hernández-Martínez-Esparza,
Mercedes Abades and
Joan Trujols
Additional contact information
Seyla De Francisco: Escola Universitària d’Infermeria de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (EUI Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Cristina Torres: Unitat de Conductes Addictives, Servei de Psiquiatria, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Sandra De Andrés: Unitat de Conductes Addictives, Servei de Psiquiatria, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Ana Millet: Unitat de Conductes Addictives, Servei de Psiquiatria, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
M. Teresa Ricart: Escola Universitària d’Infermeria de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (EUI Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Elvira Hernández-Martínez-Esparza: Escola Universitària d’Infermeria de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (EUI Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Mercedes Abades: Escola Universitària d’Infermeria de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (EUI Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Joan Trujols: Unitat de Conductes Addictives, Servei de Psiquiatria, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-10
Abstract:
Little is known about the effectiveness of laughter therapy as an adjunctive treatment for patients with addictive disorders. This study aims to evaluate the benefits of integrative laughter therapy (ILT) on levels of self-esteem, anxiety, and happiness in patients treated for addiction at a day hospital (DH). A prospective, naturalistic study with a pre-post design was conducted. All 185 participants received the standard, multicomponent treatment at the DH (treatment as usual; TAU). The participants were also invited to attend weekly ILT sessions. Upon completion of the 2-month DH treatment program, patients were classified according to their attendance at the ILT sessions: patients who attended ≥80% constituted the experimental group (TAU + ILT group) while those who attended <80% were considered controls. Although both groups achieved statistically significant increases in self-esteem and happiness with a decrease in trait anxiety, the improvement on these variables was significantly greater in the TAU + ILT group. Subject to the limitations inherent to quasi-experimental research, the findings of the present study suggest that the addition of an ILT module to the standard treatment in a DH for addictive disorders may yield greater improvement in self-esteem, anxiety, and happiness compared to TAU.
Keywords: laughter therapy; addictive disorders; day hospital treatment; mental health nursing; self-esteem; happiness; satisfaction with life; anxiety; quasi-experimental design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4194-:d:281555
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