Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Fatma Van; Elem Kocaçal; Özüm Erkin

doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1888688

Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience high occupational stress, increasing the risk of burnout and potentially affecting spiritual well-being. Laughter yoga has been suggested as a complementary mind–body intervention to enhance psychological resilience. This study evaluated its effects on burnout and spiritual well-being among ICU nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 70 ICU nurses were assigned to a laughter yoga group (n = 34) or a control group (n = 36). The intervention group participated in eight structured laughter yoga sessions. Data were collected at baseline and post-intervention using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analysis. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the intervention and control groups in total burnout or overall spiritual well-being scores (p > 0.05). A significant decrease was found in the self-efficacy subdimension within the intervention group (p < 0.05). In addition, participation in laughter yoga was negatively correlated with changes in depersonalization (r = -0.252, p = 0.035). Conclusion: Laughter yoga did not produce significant improvements in overall burnout and spiritual well-being levels among intensive care nurses. Although a negative correlation with depersonalization was observed, the overall findings indicate limited effects. Therefore, laughter yoga may be considered a supportive complementary approach rather than a definitive intervention.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval was obtained from the Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Bakırçay University (decision date and number: 16.10.2024; number:1811) and institutional permission was granted. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Permission to use the MBI and SIWB was secured from the respective Turkish adaptation authors.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Public Health Nursing, Fundamentals of Nursing, ICU Nursing

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Fatma Van
0000-0003-0908-4653
Türkiye

Elem Kocaçal ^*
0000-0001-8771-5786
Türkiye

Özüm Erkin
0000-0002-0977-2854
Türkiye

Publication Date

May 21, 2026

Submission Date

February 13, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 26, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 17 Number: April, May, June 2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1888688

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA23ET85RF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Van, F., Kocaçal, E., & Erkin, Ö. (2026). Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(April, May, June 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1888688

AMA

1.Van F, Kocaçal E, Erkin Ö. Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026;17(April, May, June 2026). doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1888688

Chicago

Van, Fatma, Elem Kocaçal, and Özüm Erkin. 2026. “Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17 (April, May, June 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1888688.

EndNote

Van F, Kocaçal E, Erkin Ö (May 1, 2026) Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17 April, May, June 2026

IEEE

[1]F. Van, E. Kocaçal, and Ö. Erkin, “Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg, vol. 17, no. April, May, June 2026, May 2026, doi: 10.31067/acusaglik.1888688.

ISNAD

Van, Fatma - Kocaçal, Elem - Erkin, Özüm. “Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17/April, May, June 2026 (May 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1888688.

JAMA

1.Van F, Kocaçal E, Erkin Ö. Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026;17. doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1888688.

MLA

Van, Fatma, et al. “Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 17, no. April, May, June 2026, May 2026, doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1888688.

Vancouver

1.Fatma Van, Elem Kocaçal, Özüm Erkin. Laughter Yoga for Burnout and Spiritual Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026 May 1;17(April, May, June 2026). doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1888688