The effect of laughter yoga on well‐being, perceived stress, and academic self‐efficacy in nursing students: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Despite rigorous theoretical and clinical training, nursing students face emotional and academic challenges that can harm their well‐being. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of research investigating the impact of laughter yoga (LY) on nursing students' well‐being, perceived stress, and self‐efficacy. The aim of this single‐blinded, two‐armed randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of LY on nursing students' well‐being, perceived stress, and academic self‐efficacy (ASE). A total of five sessions of LY were applied to the intervention group. The analysis included a total of 83 nursing students (intervention group n = 41 and control group n = 42). Repeated‐measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and paired‐samples t ‐test were used for data analysis. Results revealed that the intervention group showed a significant increase in well‐being ( p < .001) and a decrease in perceived stress after LY ( p < .01). However, statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups were not found in well‐being, perceived stress, and ASE ( p > .05). These results indicate the potential effects of LY on the students' well‐being and perceived stress. Community mental health nurses and educators can use LY to improve well‐being in universities.