Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 9, 1990                   TAG: 9003091782
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CLEMSON, S.C.                                 LENGTH: Medium

STUDY: IS LAUGHTER THE BEST MEDICINE FOR PAIN?

The study will use films such as those by the Marx brothers and W.C. Fields to see whether humor reduces requests for non-prescription pain medication, said Fran McGuire, head of the project.

"If this kind of thing is true, it would be a tremendous tool for activity directors" in nursing homes and other group settings, McGuire said.

A small-scale film study by the department two years ago found what appeared to be "dramatic decreases" in requests for pain medication, he said. That could have been the result of chemical changes in the body relieving pain or the result of reduced stress, which would reduce pain.

However, McGuire said that study was so limited that no conclusive findings could be documented. The new study will attempt to broaden the scope and come up with findings that could be used by nursing homes to improve their residents' quality of life, he said.

In addition to the quantitative measure of pain medication, the study also will try to measure the residents' happiness through a written test.

In addition to classic comic movies, Clemson researchers will use the "I Love Lucy" and "Three Stooges" television shows, said Rosangela Boyd, who tested films at a nursing home in Seneca.

"They did not find modern comedies, such as `Three Men and a Baby,' to be funny nor did they like any of the films with offensive language," she said of the residents who viewed the films.

McGuire said he suspects classic films are preferred because they may bring back good memories. Also, slapstick humor can be enjoyed without having to follow a plot or understand nuances of dialogue, and the comic films can be more easily broken into shorter segments, he said.

A separate group of nursing home residents will be shown films on serious subjects to see if their reactions - and need for pain medication - differ from those watching comic films.

The dramatic films used also will be classics because researchers want to have as little difference in era, color and memories as possible, McGuire said.

The study is being conducted by the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management with a $40,000 grant from the American Association of Retired Persons-Andrus Foundation.