Effect of Laughter Yoga on Surgical Fear and Anxiety in Patients Before Ureteroscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

What this Trial Is About

Surgical fear involves an intense worry about surgical procedures that can disrupt daily life, especially before surgery. It may arise from past negative experiences, insufficient information, fear of anesthesia or pain, and concerns about complications. Physical and psychological symptoms like increased heart rate and muscle tension can also occur. Factors such as age, gender, and education level may influence this fear. Various methods, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and meditation, have been used to help reduce surgical fear. Laughter yoga, a therapy combining simulated laughter and yoga breathing, has been suggested as a helpful complementary approach to ease anxiety and improve well-being. This study is designed to evaluate the effects of laughter yoga on patients undergoing ureteroscopy, a procedure related to kidney stones. The intervention consists of a single 30-minute laughter yoga session delivered through a WhatsApp video call. The session includes warm-up exercises, deep breathing, playful activities, and laughter exercises aimed at relaxing muscles and increasing pain tolerance. Participants will be assessed for surgical fear shortly before the ureteroscopy procedure, specifically 40 minutes and 5 minutes prior. The study collects information on participants' responses to the laughter yoga intervention to understand its impact on reducing fear and anxiety associated with surgery. The total participation involves these assessments and the single laughter yoga session before the procedure.

Effect of Laughter Yoga on Surgical Fear and Anxiety in Patients Applied Before Ureteroscopy