The Effects of Laughter Yoga on Second Grade Math Achievement

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of laughter yoga on the mathematic achievement of second grade students as measured by the math Mock Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT). According to Hoffman (2008), laughter can provide positive benefits to children and adults impacted by autism, epilepsy, and even diabetes. Hoffman (2008) conducted research on humor in early childhood education settings and found little research on laughter and the benefits to young children in the academic setting. Most humor research deals with how humor progresses through the developmental stages of children (Hoffman, 2008). In the last ten years, there has been an abundance of research on laughter. However, not much of the research is on elementary students. There is a great need for studies on the laughter of early childhood students because laughter has so many benefits to the mind and body. This study used the procedures of laughter yoga, set forth by Dr. Madan Kataria (2005), on second grade children before math class and standardized testing to investigate if it had any effect on their math Mock CRCT scores. The results indicated the laughter intervention was unlikely to positively affect second grade math scores as demonstrated by the math Mock CRCT.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Counseling, Foundations & Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Nagy, Deborah Lezanic

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Iris Saltiel
• Dr. Robert Waller
• Dr. Ellen Roberts

• Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT)
• Laughter
• Early Childhood Education
• Second Grade Children
• Laughter Yoga
• Educational Leadership

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/197

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1221