Article Version of Record

Clowning in health care settings: The point of view of adults

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Dionigi, Alberto
Canestrari, Carla

Abstract / Description

Within the past decade, there has been a surge of interest in investigating the effects of clown intervention in a large variety of clinical settings. Many studies have focused on the effects of clown intervention on children. However, few studies have investigated clowning effects on adults. This paper presents an overview of the concept of medical clowning followed by a literature review conducted on the empirical studies drawn from three data bases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar), with the aim of mapping and discussing the evidence of clowning effects on non-children, namely adults. The following areas were investigated: Adult and elderly patients (mainly those with dementia), observers of clowning, namely non-hospitalized adults who are at the hospital as relatives of patients or health-care staff, and finally clowns themselves. The main results are that 1) clown intervention induces positive emotions, thereby enhancing the patient’s well-being, reduces psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity, and prompts a decrease in negative emotions, such as anxiety and stress; 2) clown doctors are also well-perceived by relatives and healthcare staff and their presence appears to be useful in creating a lighter atmosphere in the health setting; 3) few pilot studies have been conducted on clown doctors and this lacuna represents a subject for future research.

Keyword(s)

clown clown doctor humor positive emotions complementary and alternative medicine adults well-being

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-08-19

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

12

Issue

3

Page numbers

473–488

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Dionigi, A., & Canestrari, C. (2016). Clowning in health care settings: The point of view of adults. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(3), 473–488. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1107
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Dionigi, Alberto
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Canestrari, Carla
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T09:59:45Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T09:59:45Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-08-19
  • Abstract / Description
    Within the past decade, there has been a surge of interest in investigating the effects of clown intervention in a large variety of clinical settings. Many studies have focused on the effects of clown intervention on children. However, few studies have investigated clowning effects on adults. This paper presents an overview of the concept of medical clowning followed by a literature review conducted on the empirical studies drawn from three data bases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar), with the aim of mapping and discussing the evidence of clowning effects on non-children, namely adults. The following areas were investigated: Adult and elderly patients (mainly those with dementia), observers of clowning, namely non-hospitalized adults who are at the hospital as relatives of patients or health-care staff, and finally clowns themselves. The main results are that 1) clown intervention induces positive emotions, thereby enhancing the patient’s well-being, reduces psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity, and prompts a decrease in negative emotions, such as anxiety and stress; 2) clown doctors are also well-perceived by relatives and healthcare staff and their presence appears to be useful in creating a lighter atmosphere in the health setting; 3) few pilot studies have been conducted on clown doctors and this lacuna represents a subject for future research.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Dionigi, A., & Canestrari, C. (2016). Clowning in health care settings: The point of view of adults. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(3), 473–488. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1107
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1011
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1203
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1107
  • Keyword(s)
    clown
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    clown doctor
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    humor
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    positive emotions
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    complementary and alternative medicine
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    adults
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    well-being
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Clowning in health care settings: The point of view of adults
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    3
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    473–488
  • Volume
    12
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record