Burnout, ProfessionalNCT07235735
The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Individual and Organizational Outcomes in Nurse Managers
A study testing Laughter Yoga Program in people with Burnout, Professional and Stress, Psychological, run by Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if laughter yoga can improve both individual and organizational outcomes in nurse managers. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does laughter yoga lower burnout and stress levels in nurse managers? Does laughter yoga improve work-life quality and job performance? Does… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Burnout, Professional, Stress, Psychological, Compassion Fatigue
- What is being tested?
- Laughter Yoga Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2026to 17 Mar 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Currently working as a nurse manager
- Having at least six months of managerial experience
- Continuing to serve as a nurse manager throughout the study period
Who cannot join
- Having previously received laughter yoga training
- Use of medications affecting general health components during the study (e.g., for depression, anxiety)
- Being pregnant
- Experiencing an acute stressful life event, such as the death of a close relative
- Having undergone abdominal surgery within the past 6 months
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Individual and Organizational Outcomes in Nurse Managers: A Longitudinal Study
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if laughter yoga can improve both individual and organizational outcomes in nurse managers. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does laughter yoga lower burnout and stress levels in nurse managers?
- Does laughter yoga improve work-life quality and job performance?
- Does laughter yoga help nurse managers make better decisions and solve problems more effectively?
- Does laughter yoga lower compassion fatigue and support positive approaches to workplace conflict? Researchers will compare a laughter yoga group with a control group to see if there are meaningful differences.
Read more
Participants will:
- Join structured laughter yoga sessions for a defined period (weekly sessions).
- Complete surveys before and after the program about stress, burnout, work-life quality, decision-making, problem solving, job performance, compassion fatigue, and conflict approaches.
- Continue their usual work while attending sessions.
Read the detailed description
Nurse managers play a vital role in healthcare systems by ensuring the quality of nursing services, supporting staff, coordinating care, and solving organizational problems. However, the combination of administrative responsibilities, staff shortages, and high expectations often leads to stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and difficulties in maintaining work-life balance. These conditions not only affect the individual health and well-being of nurse managers but also reduce team motivation, patient care quality, and overall organizational performance.
Laughter yoga is a mind-body practice that combines intentional laughter with breathing exercises. It does not rely on humor or jokes; instead, participants engage in guided group exercises that promote spontaneous and prolonged laughter. Scientific evidence suggests that laughter yoga can lower stress hormones, increase endorphins, improve mood, and strengthen social bonds. Although laughter yoga has been studied in various populations, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) specifically focusing on nurse managers and their professional challenges.
This randomized controlled trial aims to fill this gap by evaluating the individual and organizational outcomes of laughter yoga among nurse managers working in university and state hospitals.
The expected contribution of this study is to provide new evidence on a cost-effective, non-pharmacological intervention that can be easily integrated into hospital settings. If laughter yoga proves effective, it can be adopted as a sustainable strategy to support nurse managers' mental health, enhance their leadership capacity, and indirectly improve patient care and organizational outcomes.
- Conditions
- Burnout, Professional, Stress, Psychological, Compassion Fatigue, Quality of Life, Decision Making, Problem Solving
- Being tested
- Laughter Yoga Program
- Keywords
- Nurse Managers, Laughter Yoga, Burnout, Stress, Work-Life Balance, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Job Performance, Compassion Fatigue, Conflict Management, Organizational Outcomes, Professional Development
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Professional, Stress, Psychological, Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Laughter Yoga ProgramBehavioural
Also called Laughter Therapy;, Laughter Exercises
This intervention consists of a structured Laughter Yoga Program designed for nurse managers. Each session includes breathing exercises, warm-up activities, guided and simulated laughter exercises (such as clapping, chanting, role-play laughter), and a short relaxation/meditation phase. Sessions are conducted in small groups by a certified facilitator. The program is delivered twice weekly for 8 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. The intervention is intended to reduce burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue, while improving decision-making, problem-solving, job performance, and work-life balance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Laughter Yoga | Experimental | Structured group-based laughter yoga sessions, 2 times per week, 30-45 minutes each, for 8 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Laughter Yoga Program |
| Control | No intervention | Participants continue their routine work duties without any additional intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Perceived Stress (Perceived Stress Scale - PSS)
Developed by Cohen \& Williamson, adapted to Turkish by Eskin in 2013. 14 items, single-factor measure of stress.
Scale Range: 0-56. Interpretation Higher scores = greater perceived stress (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Burnout Levels (Maslach Burnout Inventory - MBI)
Developed by Maslach \& Jackson in 1986, adapted to Turkish by Ergin in1992. 22 items, three subscales: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment.
Scale Range: Emotional Exhaustion (0-54), Depersonalization (0-30), Personal Accomplishment (0-48).
Interpretation: Higher Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization scores = worse outcome; higher Personal Accomplishment scores = better outcome.
Measured: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (8 weeks), and follow-up (3 months after intervention).
Secondary outcomes (4)
Problem Solving Inventory
Problem Solving Inventory, Developed by Heppner \& Peterson in1982; adapted to Turkish by Şahin in 1993
Description: 31 items, six subscales: Problem-Solving Confidence, Approach-Avoidance, Personal Control, Planfulness, Impulsivity, Reflective Style.
Scale Range: 31-186. Interpretation: Higher scores = less effective problem solving (worse outcome); lower scores = better problem-solving skills.
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months
Work Performance
Work Performance Job Performance Scale - Goodman and Svyantek in 1999; Turkish adaptation was made in 2014 by Bağcı.
Description: 25 items, two subscales: Task Performance and Contextual Performance.
Scale Range: 25-125. Interpretation: Higher scores = better work performance.
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Compassion Fatigue
Developed by Dennis Portnoy and adapted Turkısh by Özdemir and Kutlu in 2022. The form consists of 40 items. The scale, which has no sub-dimensions, is evaluated based on the total number of items. The scale is a 3-point Likert-type scale: 1 = Very true, 2 = Partly true, and 3 = Rarely true. Those who answered "Very true" to 15 or more items in total are considered to have high levels of compassion fatigue.Cronbach alpha is 0,87
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months
Decision-Making Styles scale
Developed by Scott and Bruce in 1995; adapted to Turkish by Yılmaz Kuşaklı in 2023
24 items, five subscales: Rational, Intuitive, Dependent, Avoidant, Spontaneous.
Scale Range: 24-120. Interpretation: Higher scores in each subscale = more frequent use of that decision-making style
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Nov 2025
- Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion17 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion17 Mar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Burnout, ProfessionalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, SERPİL SUBAŞI ÇAĞLAR, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07235735
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Laughter Yoga
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 21 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Individual and Organizational Outcomes in Nurse Managers: A Longitudinal Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07235735
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Laughter Yoga
- Conditions
- Burnout, Professional, Stress, Psychological, Compassion Fatigue, Quality of Life, Decision Making, Problem Solving
- Keywords
- Nurse Managers, Laughter Yoga, Burnout, Stress, Work-Life Balance, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Job Performance
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 17 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 17 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if laughter yoga can improve both individual and organizational outcomes in nurse managers. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does laughter yoga lower burnout and stress levels in nurse managers?
- Does laughter yoga improve work-life quality and job performance?
- Does laughter yoga help nurse managers make better decisions and solve problems more effectively?
- Does laughter yoga lower compassion fatigue and support positive approaches to workplace conflict? Researchers will compare a laughter yoga group with a control group to see if there are meaningful differences.
Participants will:
- Join structured laughter yoga sessions for a defined period (weekly sessions).
- Complete surveys before and after the program about stress, burnout, work-life quality, decision-making, problem solving, job performance, compassion fatigue, and conflict approaches.
- Continue their usual work while attending sessions.
Detailed description
Nurse managers play a vital role in healthcare systems by ensuring the quality of nursing services, supporting staff, coordinating care, and solving organizational problems. However, the combination of administrative responsibilities, staff shortages, and high expectations often leads to stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and difficulties in maintaining work-life balance. These conditions not only affect the individual health and well-being of nurse managers but also reduce team motivation, patient care quality, and overall organizational performance.
Laughter yoga is a mind-body practice that combines intentional laughter with breathing exercises. It does not rely on humor or jokes; instead, participants engage in guided group exercises that promote spontaneous and prolonged laughter. Scientific evidence suggests that laughter yoga can lower stress hormones, increase endorphins, improve mood, and strengthen social bonds. Although laughter yoga has been studied in various populations, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) specifically focusing on nurse managers and their professional challenges.
This randomized controlled trial aims to fill this gap by evaluating the individual and organizational outcomes of laughter yoga among nurse managers working in university and state hospitals.
The expected contribution of this study is to provide new evidence on a cost-effective, non-pharmacological intervention that can be easily integrated into hospital settings. If laughter yoga proves effective, it can be adopted as a sustainable strategy to support nurse managers' mental health, enhance their leadership capacity, and indirectly improve patient care and organizational outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Laughter Yoga | Experimental | Behavioral: Laughter Yoga ProgramStructured group-based laughter yoga sessions, 2 times per week, 30-45 minutes each, for 8 weeks. |
| Control | No intervention | –Participants continue their routine work duties without any additional intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Currently working as a nurse manager
- Having at least six months of managerial experience
- Continuing to serve as a nurse manager throughout the study period
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Having previously received laughter yoga training
- Use of medications affecting general health components during the study (e.g., for depression, anxiety)
- Being pregnant
- Experiencing an acute stressful life event, such as the death of a close relative
- Having undergone abdominal surgery within the past 6 months
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Laughter Yoga ProgramAlso: Laughter Therapy;, Laughter ExercisesThis intervention consists of a structured Laughter Yoga Program designed for nurse managers. Each session includes breathing exercises, warm-up activities, guided and simulated laughter exercises (such as clapping, chanting, role-play laughter), and a short relaxation/meditation phase. Sessions are conducted in small groups by a certified facilitator. The program is delivered twice weekly for 8 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. The intervention is intended to reduce burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue, while improving decision-making, problem-solving, job performance, and work-life balance. | Behavioural | Experimental: Laughter Yoga |
Primary outcome
Perceived Stress (Perceived Stress Scale - PSS)
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Developed by Cohen \& Williamson, adapted to Turkish by Eskin in 2013. 14 items, single-factor measure of stress. Scale Range: 0-56. Interpretation Higher scores = greater perceived stress (worse outcome).
Burnout Levels (Maslach Burnout Inventory - MBI)
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (8 weeks), and follow-up (3 months after intervention).
Developed by Maslach \& Jackson in 1986, adapted to Turkish by Ergin in1992. 22 items, three subscales: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment. Scale Range: Emotional Exhaustion (0-54), Depersonalization (0-30), Personal Accomplishment (0-48). Interpretation: Higher Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization scores = worse outcome; higher Personal Accomplishment scores = better outcome.
4 secondary outcomes
Problem Solving Inventory
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months
Work Performance
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Compassion Fatigue
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months
Decision-Making Styles scale
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Sep 2026.
- Yang, Z., Huang, H., \& Li, G. (2024). Status and influencing factors of work stress among nurse managers in western China: a cross-sectional survey study. BMC nursing, 23(1), 68.Link provided by the sponsor.
- Alici, N. K., \& Dönmez, A. A. (2020). A systematic review of the effect of laughter yoga on physical function and psychosocial outcomes in older adults. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 41, 101252.Link provided by the sponsor.
- Maslach, C., \& Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of organizational behavior, 2(2), 99-113.Link provided by the sponsor.
- Ergin, C. (1992). Doktor ve hemsirelerde tukenmislik ve Maslach tukenmislik olceginin uyarlanmasi. VII. Ulusal Psikoloji Kongresi, 22th September 1992 Ankara (Turkey).Link provided by the sponsor.
- Bağcı, Z. (2014). ÇALIŞANLARIN İŞ DOYUMUNUN GÖREV VE BAĞLAMSAL PERFORMANSLARI ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİSİ. Yönetim ve Ekonomi Araştırmaları Dergisi, 12(24), 58-72.Link provided by the sponsor.
- UÇAR ÖZDEMİR, S., \& KOCA KUTLU, A. (2022). Şefkat Yorgunluğu Ölçeği'nin Hemşireler Üzerinde Türkçe Geçerlilik ve Güvenilirliği Çalışması: Metodolojik Araştırma. Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Nursing Sciences, 14(2).Link provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Laughter Yoga Program in people with Burnout, Professional and Stress, Psychological, run by Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Serpil SUBAŞI ÇAĞLAR, PhDCandidate (+905321709457, serpilkercaglar@hotmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Perceived Stress (Perceived Stress Scale - PSS) (time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months.). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Sep 2026.