Effects of humour‐logotherapy tailored to rural college students: A quasi‐experimental study

Abstract Objective This study aimed to examine the effects of humour‐logotherapy (HL) on meaning in life, perceived stress and depressive symptoms among rural college students in South Korea. Methods and Measures The sample for a non‐randomised quasi‐experimental study comprised 40 college students. HL was operated in six sessions, lasted 90 min and included 10 min of humorous activities. The data were analysed using the IBM SPSS/WIN 23.0 for the χ 2 test with Fisher's exact test, a t ‐test, the Shapiro–Wilk test and a repeated measurement ANOVA. Results HL was effective in enhancing meaning in life ( F = 6.52, p = .002) and reducing stress ( F = 3.71, p = .029) and depressive symptoms ( F = 3.26, p = .044). The effects of enhancing meaning in life and reducing stress persisted for 4 weeks; however, the effect of reducing depressive symptoms persisted for less than 4 weeks. Conclusion The results suggest that HL can be used as an effective intervention for enhancing meaning in life, reducing stress and alleviating depression among rural college students.