Prescribing Laughter for Sleep and Wellbeing in UAE University Students

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study is in line with the UAEs national drive to promote happiness and wellbeing. University students risk impaired psychological health, wellbeing, and sleep due to academic pressures. This research is the first to assess the feasibility of using a laughter prescription to improve psychological health and sleep in Zayed University students. Forty students will be recruited, and randomized to a control or laughter group.

Detailed Description
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The Laughie is a self created app or tool. It is a one minute recording of the user's joyful laughter on their smartphone. Once recorded, the user uses it by playing back the recording and laughing with it for the duration of the one minute. The Laughie acts as a prompt to guide the one minute of laughter. In this research the experimental group each record their own Laughie, demonstrated and supported by the PI(s). They are then prescribed to laugh with their Laughie: 3x a day the first week (morning, lunch, and afternoon) and at least 2x a day during the second week. Immediately after using their Laughie they fill in a Laughie checklist to record whether they laughed for the full minute, whether they enjoyed their Laughie, and how they felt afterwards. This study tracks sleep using wrist actigraphy in the control group (no Laughie prescription) and in the Laughie group. All participants complete one week baseline using sleep watches, and sleep diaries, prior to the Laughie intervention. They all then continue to track their sleep during the intervention. All participants complete WHO Five well-being, PSKI, and HADS pre and post intervention. During the intervention the Laughie participants complete Laughie checklists. All participants are invited for a final interview (the control group about the sleep equipment experience). A follow-up survey is sent to the Laughie group 2 months after their prescription.

Official Title
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Can a Laughter Prescription Improve Psychological Health, Wellbeing, and Sleep in Zayed University Students?

Conditions
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Sleep, Mental Health Wellness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Laughie laughter prescription
* Device: Sleep tracking equipment


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Registered Zayed University students, owner of a smartphone - Exclusion Criteria: Chronic health conditions (cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes), deafness, non-English speakers -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental<br>One minute laughter prescription 3x a day Tracking sleep using equipment | Other: Laughie laughter prescription<br>* Creation of a Laughie; laughing with their Laughie 3x a day<br>Device: Sleep tracking equipment<br>* Tracking sleep using equipment<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control<br>Tracking sleep using equipment | Device: Sleep tracking equipment<br>* Tracking sleep using equipment<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feasibility of two-week laughter prescription | Using the Laughie. Evaluate with Laughie checklists and interviews | 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Assess if subjective sleep outcomes improve | Using PSKI and interviews | 6 months | 
| Assess if objective sleep outcomes improve | Using wrist actigraphy | 6 months | 
| Assess if overall well-being improves | Using WHO Five, Laughie checklists, and interviews | 6 months | 
| Assess if specific aspects of wellbeing improve | Using WHO Five, Laughie checklists, interviews | 6 months | 
| Assess if mental health improves | Using HADS, interviews | 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Sleep, laughter, well-being, mental health