Clown doctors prescribed to boost mood in mystery illness study
NCT ID NCT07007013
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether attending weekly humor therapy sessions led by professional 'clown doctors' can improve emotional well-being in adults with medically unexplained symptoms (symptoms with no clear medical cause). 28 participants will attend 8 group sessions over 8 weeks. Researchers will measure changes in well-being before and after the program.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- humor therapy (clown doctor group sessions)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a low-cost, enjoyable way to improve emotional well-being for people with medically unexplained symptoms.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small study (28 people) with no control group, so results may not be reliable or generalizable. The effect of humor is hard to measure objectively.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
CAPI Baix A Mar (CSAPG)
Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, 08800, Spain
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Talking through the pain: could uncovering hidden emotions relieve chronic symptoms?
- Smartphone app tests music and thought exercises to reduce daily distress from unexplained physical symptoms
- Can an online program ease the distress of unexplained physical symptoms?
- Study tracks young Patients' long road to proper diagnosis