Laughter, mental health and cancer: a case study of Ros Ben-Moshe
| Date | 26 January 2023 |
| Pages | 448-459 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-11-2022-0071 |
| Published date | 26 January 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
| Author | Ros Ben-Moshe,Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky |
Laughter, mental health and cancer:
a case study of Ros Ben-Moshe
Ros Ben-Moshe and Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to meetRos Ben-Moshe, a cancer survivor –or rather thriver –
and lecturer in positive psychology at La Trobe University, describes how she uses laughter to boost
levityand mentalhealth.
Design/methodology/approach –This case study is divided into two parts: an autoethnographic life
story of Ros Ben-Moshe,followed by 10 questions and answers.
Findings –Regular laughter is an enjoyable way to stimulate the feel-good chemicals dopamine,
oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. A laughter mindset is an importanttool for overall wellbeing. It can
help buildconnections and re-frame negativesituations.
Research limitations/implications –This is a personal narrative and gives the perspective of one
personwho harnessed the benefits of laughterfollowing a cancer diagnosis.
Practical implications –Laughter can be used strategically to reset our internal mindset and prime ourselves
towards optimal mental health and wellbeing, even while struggling with serious health issues. Research into how
and when to prescribe laughter for mental health and overall wellbeing is therefore of interest.
Social implications –Social laughter is important and rewarding. For those anxious about social laughter,
finding people to laugh with who do not judge you is recommended, as are affirmations to lessen anxiety.
Originality/value –To the best of the authors’ knowledge,this is the first case study and interview with a
cancersurvivor on the topic of laughter, cancer and mentalhealth.
Keywords Laughter, Cancer, Mental health, Laughter Yoga, Laughie, Prescribing laughter
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
Mental health impacts some one billion people worldwide (World Health Organisation,
2022), with an estimated 14% of deaths worldwide caused by mental disorders (Walker
et al.,2015
). Good mental health is an important factor in fighting disease, and it has been
used as an indicator to explain mortality among cancer survivors (Liu et al.,2022;Chen
et al.,2022
). Cancer, discussed in this case study, is rising:19 million cases of cancer were
reported in 2020, and cases are expected to rise to over 28 million by 2040 (Sung et al.,
2021). Hidden in each of these statistics are millions of personal stories of heartache and
mental anguish, none of which are laughter-inducing. However, laughter can benefit
biological, psychological, social, environmental and behavioural (BPSE-B) factors (Gonot-
Schoupinsky et al., 2020a,2020b). Two meta-analyses investigating laughter-inducing
therapies found they can improve mental health. Firstly, van der Wal and Kok (2019) and
recently Stiwi and Rosendahl (2022) reported on randomised controlled trials (n=45).Of
the 45 randomised control trials, 31 showed significant mental health benefits and 14
significant physiologicalbenefits in 1,543 patients and 761 patients, respectively.
The use of laughter to support patients with cancer is long-standing (Pattillo and Itano,
2001). There is also some evidence to suggest laughter can support those with cancer. A
randomised controlled trial (n= 56) found those in the intervention group (n= 26) had
Ros Ben-Moshe is an
Adjunct Lecturer at the
School of Public Health and
Psychology, La Trobe
University –Bundoora
Campus, Melbourne,
Australia.
Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky
is a PhD Student at the
Department of Psychology,
University of Bolton, Bolton,
UK.
PAGE 448 jMENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION jVOL. 28 NO. 5 2024, pp. 448-459, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-11-2022-0071
Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI
Get Started for FreeStart Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting