Laughter-inducing interventions for workplace stress management: a scoping review

Mental health at work is a public health priority. Previous studies in the general population suggest that laughter-inducing interventions may support mental health. Their workplace potential warrants a scoping review. The aim of this study was to document, in the literature, the components and effectiveness of laughter-inducing interventions in the workplace. A structured search strategy was applied to 6 databases. Studies assessing laughter-inducing interventions among workers using interventional designs were included. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted data, and appraised studies using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Thematic analysis was performed to answer the research questions. Out of the 613 records identified, twenty-five studies were included with samples of varying sizes (n=7-200 participants) and professions. Laughter-inducing interventions included introduction (background, rationale) (n=7), laughter exercises (n=19), breathing (n=15), warm-up (n=10), chanting (n=8), relaxation (n=7), movements (n=6), games (n=3), and expression of feelings or feedback (n=4). Intervention formats varied in sessions (1-28), duration (10-90 min), frequency (daily to monthly), and length (1-90 days). The most frequently investigated outcome was stress (n=16) with results generally statistically significant (n=12). There was a paucity of data informing the implementation process. The quality appraisal revealed poor quality with risks of selection and/or confounding bias (n=17/17 among non-randomized studies) and risks of information and/or selection bias (n=5/6 in randomized studies). While findings suggest that laughter-inducing interventions may be promising for reducing workplace stress, most included studies were of poor methodological quality, warranting cautious interpretation. Further research is needed due to methodological heterogeneity and limitations.