Interacting with clowns can help children and adolescents in hospitals better manage symptoms and improve their psychological and emotional well-being, studies show

The systematic review evaluated 24 studies from randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, involving some 1,612 children and adolescents. The researchers did note that further research is required to understand the impact of hospital clowns in symptom clusters in long-term hospital stay. While the review found favourable results of hospital clown intervention from a cross-section of paediatric patients with multiple conditions, it also noted that more research is needed to understand the effects of clowns on certain disorders such as cancer.