If, indeed, laughter and good humor do prompt positive physiologic responses, Stuber and Zeltzer hope to integrate them into treatment procedures for young patients. For example, children and adolescents undergoing chemotherapy or other frightening procedures could be shown humorous programming to help alleviate stress and fear, which can inhibit healing. Such integration of conventional medicine and laughter would represent "a philosophical and structural change" in the way medicine is practiced at UCLA, Stuber said.
Previous studies have indicated that laughter may promote better health. According to a study of college students, for example, those with good senses of humor had fewer colds and upper respiratory infections than students who did not.
"It's important that we know whether laughter and humor can be used as a targeted intervention during medical procedures," Zeltzer said, "or if laughter has impact on the trajectory of disease."
- UCLA
Articles in The Science of Mental Health are written by the originating institution.
