Psychological, social, and metaphorical experiences of laughter yoga in older adults: a phenomenological study.

Authors

Fatma Özlem Öztürk, Nisa Nur Akbal

Published in

Aging & mental health. Pages 1-11. Jul 09, 2026. Epub Jul 09, 2026.

Abstract

This study aims to examine older adults' experiences of laughter yoga and the meanings they attribute to this practice through a phenomenological approach.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 participants at a retirement center in Türkiye and were analyzed using content and metaphor analyses.
The findings reveal that laughter yoga contributes to a holistic improvement in psychological well-being, physical health, and socialization, while the leader's attitude emerges as a critical determinant in this process. Participants reported increased happiness, improved stress management, enhanced life energy, reduced pain, greater breathing awareness, and physical relaxation, as well as strengthened social interaction. Metaphorical analyses further confirmed the multidimensional impact of the intervention through symbolic representations related to psychological transformation, nature experiences, and socialization.
This study has shown that laughter yoga in old age is an intervention that supports mental well-being, body awareness, and biopsychosocial health. Integrating laughter yoga into geriatric programs may offer a strategic model for improving quality of life among the aging population by enhancing emotional resilience and strengthening social capital.

PMID:
42424103
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Jul 2026.

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