Kuru Alıcı Nilgün, Zorba Bahceli Pınar, Emiroğlu Oya Nuran
Faculty of Nursing, Department of Public Health Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Department of Nursing, Selcuk University Faculty of Health Sciences Konya, Turkey.
Int J Older People Nurs. 2018 Dec;13(4):e12206. doi: 10.1111/opn.12206. Epub 2018 Jul 13.
This study evaluated the preliminary effect of laughter therapy on the level of loneliness and death anxiety of older adults.
This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The study participants were older adults living in two nursing homes set up by foundations located in the capital of Turkey. A total of 50 older adults formed the intervention group (n = 20) and control group (n = 30). The intervention group received laughter therapy twice a week for 5 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Data were collected using a socio-demographic form, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) and the Turkish Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS).
After laughter therapy, the DJGLS total and subscale (emotional and social loneliness) scores decreased among older adults in the intervention group (p < 0.005). While there were no significant differences for overall TDAS, death uncertainty and pain subscales scores between the intervention and control group after laughter therapy, there was a significant decrease in TDAS exposure subscale scores of the intervention group (p < 0.005).
The results suggest that laughter therapy can be used to decrease levels of loneliness and death anxiety among older adults living in nursing homes.
Anxiety regarding death and loneliness are important issues that affect quality of life in older adults. This first pilot study demonstrates the beneficial effects of laughter therapy on loneliness and death anxiety in nursing home residents. Nurses can incorporate laughter therapy into routine programmes in nursing homes.
本研究评估了欢笑疗法对老年人孤独感和死亡焦虑水平的初步影响。
这是一项采用非等效对照组前测-后测设计的准实验研究。研究参与者是居住在土耳其首都由基金会设立的两家养老院中的老年人。共有50名老年人组成干预组（n = 20）和对照组（n = 30）。干预组每周接受两次欢笑疗法，为期5周。对照组未接受干预。使用社会人口学表格、德容·吉尔维尔德孤独量表（DJGLS）和土耳其死亡焦虑量表（TDAS）收集数据。
欢笑疗法后，干预组老年人的DJGLS总分及分量表（情感孤独和社交孤独）得分下降（p < 0.005）。虽然欢笑疗法后干预组和对照组在TDAS总分、死亡不确定性和疼痛分量表得分上无显著差异，但干预组TDAS暴露分量表得分显著下降（p < 0.005）。
结果表明，欢笑疗法可用于降低养老院中老年人的孤独感和死亡焦虑水平。
对死亡的焦虑和孤独是影响老年人生活质量的重要问题。这项首次试点研究证明了欢笑疗法对养老院居民孤独感和死亡焦虑的有益影响。护士可将欢笑疗法纳入养老院的常规项目中。
