THERAPEUTIC USE OF HUMOR TO IMPROVE SOCIAL SUPPORT IN AN INSTITUTIONALIZED SCHIZOPHRENIC INPATIENT COMMUNITY

We attempted to use passive communal laughter to improve social suppor t within a chronic schizophrenic inpatient population. Two identical w ards were compared on classical measures of social support (emotional and functional), social network (size and dispersion), satisfaction, a nd the nature of the social relationships (source). The experimental g roup was exposed to video projection of humorous movies four times dai ly for 3 months. and the control group to video projections of other, assorted movies at the same rate. In the experimental ward a significa nt improvement was manifest in the category of ''distinct individuals supporting each patient.'' The difference may have been due to an impr ovement in the relationship with the staff. No improvement was found o n any of the other measures. We concluded that the positive atmosphere that humor creates affects the therapeutic alliance between staff and patients but does not affect other social networks because of the reg ressed nature of the schizophrenics' social relationships.