Effect of Laughter Yoga on School Burnout and Hope Among Secondary School (Eighth Grade) Students: A Parallel Group Randomized Control Trial.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of laughter yoga on hope and school burnout among secondary school, (eighth grade) students. This study was a pretest, posttest, parallel-group, randomized control trial to evaluate the effect of laughter yoga on hope and school burnout in eighth-grade students. The population of the study consisted of 60 eighth-grade middle school students (intervention group n=30 and control group n=30). Laughter yoga was practiced face-to-face with the intervention group twice a week for 35-40 minutes and in six sessions in total. The protocol of the study was registered with the number NCT05742308 (ClinicalTrials.gov). After laughter yoga, there was a statistically significant difference between the intervention (17.27 ± 8.76) and control (22.90 ± 7.08) groups in the mean scores of the school burnout scale (p < .05) and a statistically significant difference between the intervention (29.28 ± 5.66) and control (22.28 ± 5.65) groups in the mean scores of the children's hope scale (p < .05). School health nursing practices have an important role in the process of acquiring positive health behaviors in school-age children. They are able to use evidence-based practices to reduce student burnout and improve hope. Based on the results of the study, school health nurses can use laughter yoga to increase hope levels and decrease burnout levels in eighth-grade students.