Laughter-inducing therapies: Systematic review and meta-analysis

C. Natalie van der Wal and Robin N. Kok

Social Science & Medicine, 2019, vol. 232, issue C, 473-488

Abstract: Laughter-inducing therapies are being applied more regularly in the last decade, and the number of scientific reports of their beneficial effects is growing. Laughter-inducing therapies could be cost-effective treatments for different populations as a complementary or main therapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis has not yet been performed on these therapies for different populations and outcomes, but is needed to examine their potential benefits. This research aims to broadly describe the field of laughter-inducing therapies, and to estimate their effect on mental and physical health for a broad range of populations and conditions.

Keywords: Laughter-inducing therapy; Spontaneous laughter; Simulated laughter; Humor; Psychological and physical well-being; Systematic review; Meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:232:y:2019:i:c:p:473-488

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.02.018

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