Effectiveness of yoga and laughter yoga in improving psychological resilience of mothers with babies hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit

This randomized controlled study aimed to determine the effectiveness of yoga and laughter yoga approaches in enhancing psychological resilience of mothers with babies hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. The Mothers were randomized into three groups as yoga, laughter yoga, and control groups. The mothers received a total of 10 yoga/laughter yoga sessions for 45 minutes twice a week as home-based exercises. Depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological resilience outcomes were evaluated at baseline and after 5th and 10th sessions. The study was completed with 60 mothers including 20 mothers in the yoga group, 19 mothers in the laughter yoga group, and 21 mothers in the control group. There were statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological resilience after 5th and 10th sessions. Yoga and laughter yoga was effective for increasing psychological resilience and alleviating depression, anxiety, stress.