An interventional study of laughter yoga in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Parenting Stress and Depression, sponsored by LAM Chung Yan Hemio. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to participants aged 8 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-19.
Sponsored by LAM Chung Yan Hemio · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
This is a pilot randomised controlled trial to explore the acceptability and feasibility of laughter yoga about anxiety and depression reduction in children with ASD and parenting stress reduction for their parents. Hypotheses of this study include:
The intervention is a laughter yoga programme consisting of twelve sessions (biweekly). Sixty-six children with ASD and their father or mother from local autism support groups will join this study. Participants will be given an information sheet. Participants will be fully informed about laughter yoga's details, benefits and risks. All participants voluntarily take part in this study. If the family agrees to participate in this study, the parent will sign the consent form. Families will be randomized into an experimental group or a wait-list-control group. Before the laughter yoga programme, baseline data (T0) will be collected. The experimental group (n=33) will attend the twelve classes led by a certified laughter yoga trainer in an activity room that is suitable for indoor exercise. A research assistant will assist the laughter yoga teacher and provide first aid if needed. Parents will complete the questionnaire again immediately at the Programme End (T1) and at a 3-month follow-up (T2). The wait-list-control group (n=33) will receive the same laughter yoga programme after 3-month follow-up (T2).
1,727 studies on the registry are indexed under Autism Spectrum Disorder; 504 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 66 is above the median of 52 across 1,371 interventional studies indexed under Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Browse Autism Spectrum Disorder studies →This is the only study on the registry with LAM Chung Yan Hemio as lead sponsor.
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THE CHILD should:
THE PARENT should:
Exclusion Criteria:
THE CHILD:
THE PARENT has:
The intervention is a laughter yoga program consisting of 12 sessions, two 1-hour sessions per month.
Behavioral: laughter yoga
Participants will receive the same intervention after the 3-Months Follow-up (T2).
each class, including warm-up exercises, laughter yoga exercises, breathing and a relaxation session and sharing
Response rate
The proportion of eligible potential participants that agree to take part in.
Time frame: Baseline (immediately before intervention)
Attrition rate
The proportion of recruited participants that withdraw from the study at any time.
Time frame: 3 Months Follow-up (9 months from baseline)
Attendance rate
The number and percentage of families attend each laughter yoga session.
Time frame: Each laughter yoga session, total 12 time points
Perception on laughter yoga
Families in the laughter yoga group will be interviewed to explore their perception of laughter yoga and its benefits.
Time frame: Programme end (6 months from Baseline)
Difficulties in laughter yoga
Families in the laughter yoga group will be interviewed to explore difficulties when they practiced laughter yoga.
Time frame: Programme end (6 months from Baseline)
Safety issues
Families in the laughter yoga group will be interviewed and explore any discomfort during or after the laughter yoga.
Time frame: Programme end (6 months from Baseline)
Depression
Parents will rate the 10 items related to their children's depression in the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale - Parent Version. The scoring ranges from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms of depression.
Time frame: at baseline (immediately before intervention) , Programme end (6 months from Baseline) and 3-month follow-up (9 months from Baseline)
Anxiety
Parents will rate their children's social phobia (9 items, score from 0 to 27), panic disorder(9 items, score from 0 to 27), separation anxiety (7 items, score from 0 to 21), generalized anxiety (6 items, score from 0 to 18) and obsessive-compulsive behaviour (6 items, score from 0 to 18) in the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) - Parent Version, with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptom of anxiety.
Time frame: at baseline (immediately before intervention) , Programme end (6 months from Baseline) and 3-month follow-up (9 months from Baseline)
Parenting Stress
Parents will complete the Chinese version of the Parenting Stress Index - Fourth Edition Short Form (PSI-4-SF), from 36 to 180 (36 items), with higher scores indicating a greater level of parenting stress.
Time frame: at baseline (immediately before intervention) , Programme end (6 months from Baseline) and 3-month follow-up (9 months from Baseline)
Child-parent Relationships
Families in the laughter yoga group will be interviewed to assess whether any child-parent relationships have changed since practicing laughter yoga.
Time frame: Programme end (6 months from Baseline)
Plan to share: No
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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