Laughter Yoga as a Social Work Intervention

Bibliographic Data

ID10516299
AuthorsMonit Cheung (0000-0002-0433-4767, University of Houston, corresponding author), Carol A Leung (Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California, USA)
Year2020
Volume90
Issue4
Pages288-301
Publication date2020-10-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSmith College Studies in Social Work (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0037-7317 • E-ISSN: 1553-0426
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00377317.2020.1819938
OpenAlexW3094368202
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited26

Using simulated laughter, clients follow laughing patterns without using memory recalls or associating with any thinking or feeling. This practice update describes laughter yoga as a social work intervention. It demonstrates the functions, principles, and procedures of laughter yoga to help clients alleviate stress and at the same time enable social workers to practice with the clients as a self-care exercise during an emotionally intensive session. A composite case is used to demonstrate how the social worker used laughter yoga as an exercise with Mrs. X, a patient with cancer. The outcomes, in this case, are used to show the method and its procedures rather than evaluating efficacy. It suggests that social workers may benefit from utilizing laughter yoga as an intervention. Future research should address its effectiveness by measuring beta-endorphin increases for relaxation and improvement in social bonding

Feeling · Intervention (counseling · Laughter · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Relaxation (psychology · Session (web analytics · Applied Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Computer Science · Humor Studies and Applications · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Music Therapy and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work

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