Laughter and Stress Relief in Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study

Table 2

Change of numerical rating scale scores for anxiety, depression, and stress after therapeutic laughter program.

	Intention-to-treat analysis			Per-protocol analysis
	Experimental; group ()	Control; group ()	value	Experimental; group ()	Control; group ()	value
	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD		Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
Baseline
Anxiety	3.42 ± 2.08	3.21 ± 2.24	0.66^b	3.20 ± 2.31	2.97 ± 1.92	0.70^a
Depression	3.48 ± 2.14	2.97 ± 1.92	0.33^a	3.30 ± 2.03	3.21 ± 2.24	0.83^b
Stress	3.32 ± 2.09	3.62 ± 1.95	0.57^a	3.35 ± 2.21	3.62 ± 1.95	0.38^b
Postintervention
Anxiety	1.48 ± 1.46	3.31 ± 2.22	<0.01^c	1.10 ± 1.41	3.31 ± 2.22	<0.01^c
Depression	1.65 ± 1.62	3.31 ± 2.04	<0.01^c	1.30 ± 1.66	3.31 ± 2.04	<0.01^c
Stress	1.26 ± 1.32	3.72 ± 1.81	<0.01^c	0.80 ± 1.20	3.72 ± 1.81	<0.01^c
Difference
Anxiety	−1.94 ± 1.97	0.10 ± 1.97	<0.01^b	−2.20 ± 1.85	0.10 ± 1.97	<0.01^b
Depression	−1.84 ± 1.63	0.34 ± 1.97	<0.01^b	−1.90 ± 1.55	0.34 ± 1.97	<0.01^b
Stress	−2.06 ± 2.00	0.10 ± 2.14	<0.01^b	−2.55 ± 1.88	0.10 ± 2.14	<0.01^b

values were calculated by (a) independent -test, (b) Mann-Whitney test, and (c) analysis of covariance test adjusting for marital status and baseline distress score.