The Effectiveness of Laughter Yoga to Improve Individual and Peer Happiness Among Cancer Patients

Background: Cancer therapy during the pandemic causes physical and psychological problems. It impacts happiness in their lives. Laughter yoga is an intervention that can increase happiness. The purpose of this study is to prove that laughter yoga can increase the achievement of individual and peer happiness in cancer patients undergoing therapy in a pandemic situation. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental with a non-equivalent control group design. The total sample was 40 cancer patients at the Indonesia Cancer Foundation East Java selected through the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the implementation, 20 people belong to the intervention group (IG) and 20 other people belong to the control group (CG). The IG provided laughter yoga 2x/a week for 4 weeks with 14 steps, while CG only through daily activities. Both groups conducted pre-test and post-tests using The Subjective Happiness Scale. The scale consists of two indicators: individual happiness and peers’ happiness. In addition, the calculation of the two indicators is done separately. The instrument has been tested for its validity and reliability. The data were normally distributed (Shapiro-Wilk test p > 0.05). Statistical test was conducted using paired t-test (p < 0.05) to test the pre-post data in both groups and independent sample t-test (p < 0.05) to test the effectiveness of the intervention compared to the control group.Results: Demographic data of respondents was homogenous. The mean score of individual and peer happiness before and after intervention in the IG increased. It means that respondents had better happiness. Meanwhile, in the CG there was a stagnation score of individual and peer happiness. Paired t-test in the IG showed that individual and peers’ happiness got the same p-value < 0.001 each. In the CG, individual happiness records p = 1.000 and peers’ happiness p = 0.083. Statistical tests conducted by Independent t-test to compare IG and CG had the p = 0.012 for individual happiness and p = < 0.001 for peers’ happiness.Conclusions: Laughter yoga has a significant effect to enhance individual and peer happiness compared to respondents who only carry out normal daily activities, especially for cancer patients undergoing therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.