Abstract
This study examined whether different humor styles (adaptive vs. maladaptive) mediate the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and current levels of resilience. Results from a sample of 511 college students indicated that individuals endorsing EMS were significantly more likely to engage in maladaptive humor and significantly less likely to engage in adaptive humor, both of which predicted decreased resilience. Interestingly, affiliative, self-enhancing, and aggressive humor styles each significantly partially mediated the relationship between EMS and resilience. The partial mediation suggests that lower levels of affiliative and self-enhancing humor and higher levels of aggressive humor may be mechanisms by which EMS influences resiliency. To the extent that clinical interventions can incorporate and explore one’s awareness of their usage of humor, individuals with maladaptive humor styles, particularly those endorsing EMS, may experience benefits from re-focusing on adaptive humor styles. This study highlights the clinical importance of assessing for and focusing on distinct humor styles when promoting overall wellness.
About the authors
Adrianne McCullars, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who serves as associate clinical director at Rogers Behavioral Health in Miami and as clinical supervisor of Rogers OCD and Anxiety, Focus Depression Recovery, Mental Health Recovery, Trauma Recovery, Mental Health and Addiction Recovery, and Eating Disorder Recovery adult partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care at Rogers’ Tampa location.
Fallon J. Richie is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Health Psychology program at UNC Charlotte. Her primary research interests are health equity, integrated care, institutional betrayal, and resilience.
Jeffrey J. Klibert, Ph.D., ABPP serves as a professor of psychology at Georgia Southern University (GS). He is also a licensed and board-certified psychologist in the field of counseling psychology. As part of his academic responsibilities, Dr. Klibert is the Associate Director of Clinical Training for GS’s APA accredited clinical psychology doctoral program and the Director of the Rural Health and Research Institute (RHRI). Dr. Klibert’s areas of expertise include multicultural psychology, personality assessment, psychopathology, positive psychology, and adolescent development.
Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research interests include perfectionism, early maladaptive schemas, and the use of humor. Clinically, she uses a strength-based approach that supports adaptive coping and resiliency to trauma and adversity.
References
Arbuckle, James L. 2014. Amos (Version 23) [Computer software]. Chicago, IL: SPSS.Search in Google Scholar
Bach, Bo, Eric Simonsen, Peter Christoffersen & Levente Kriston. 2015. The Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form (YSQ-S3): Psychometric properties and association with personality disorders in a Danish mixed sample. European Journal of Psychological Assessment 33(2). 134–143. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000272.Search in Google Scholar
Besser, Avi, Patrick Luyten & Linda C. Mayes. 2012. Adult attachment and distress: The mediating role of humor styles. Individual Differences Research 10. 153–164.Search in Google Scholar
Boerner, Michaela, Stephen Joseph & David Murphy. 2017. The association between sense of humor and trauma-related mental health outcomes: Two exploratory studies. Journal of Loss & Trauma 22(5). 440–452. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2017.1310504.Search in Google Scholar
Calvete, Esther. 2014. Emotional abuse as a predictor of early maladaptive schemas in adolescents: Contributions to the development of depressive and social anxiety symptoms. Child Abuse & Neglect 38. 735–746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.10.014.Search in Google Scholar
Calvete, Esther, Izaskun Orue & Zahira González-Diez. 2013. An examination of the structure and stability of early maladaptive schemas by means of the Young Schema Questionnaire-3. European Journal of Psychological Assessment 29(4). 283–290. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000158.Search in Google Scholar
Cann, Arnie & Adam T. Cann. 2013. Humor styles, risk perceptions, and risky behavioral choices in college students. Humor 26. 595–608. https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2013-0033.Search in Google Scholar
Cann, Arnie & Chelsea Matson. 2014. Sense of humor and social desirability: Understanding how humor styles are perceived. Personality and Individual Differences 66. 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.03.029.Search in Google Scholar
Cherry, Katie, Katie Stanko, Laura Sampson, Sandro Galea & Loren Marks 2018. Spirituality, humor, and resilience after natural and technological disasters. Innovation in Aging 2(Suppl 1). 281–282. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy023.1040.Search in Google Scholar
Connor, Kathryn M. & Jonathan Davidson. 2003. Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor‐Davidson resilience scale (CD‐RISC). Depression and Anxiety 18. 76–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.10113.Search in Google Scholar
Cousins, Norman. 2001. Anatomy of an Illness as perceived by the patient: Reflections on healing and regeneration. WW Norton & Company.Search in Google Scholar
Debb, Scott M., Darlene Colson, Desideria Hacker & Kristoffer Park. 2018. Applying the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale for use with third-year African American college students. The Journal of Negro Education 87(1). 73–89. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.87.1.0073.Search in Google Scholar
Dozois, David A., Rod A. Martin & Peter J. Bieling. 2009. Early maladaptive schemas and adaptive/maladaptive styles of humor. Cognitive Therapy and Research 33. 585–596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-008-9223-9.Search in Google Scholar
Dozois, David J., Rod A. Martin & Breanne Faulkner. 2013. Early maladaptive schemas, styles of humor and aggression. Humor 26. 97–116. https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2013-0006.Search in Google Scholar
Edwards, Kim R. & Rod A. Martin. 2014. The conceptualization, measurement, and role of humor as a character strength in positive psychology. Europe’s Journal of Psychology 10(3). 505–519. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v10i3.759.Search in Google Scholar
Eshel, Yohanan, Shaul Kimhi, Mooli Lahad & Dmitry Leykin. 2016. Individual, community, and national resiliencies and age: Are older people less resilient than younger individuals? American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 24(8). 644–647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2016.03.002.Search in Google Scholar
Felitti, Vincent J., Robert F. Anda, Dale Nordenberg, David Williamson, Alison Spitz, Valerie Edwards & James S. Marks. 1998. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 14(4). 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8.Search in Google Scholar
Fletcher, David & Mustafa Sarkar. 2013. Psychological resilience: A review and critique of definitions, concepts, and theory. European Psychologist 18. 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000124.Search in Google Scholar
Ford, Thomas E., Shaun. K. Lappi & Christopher J. Holden. 2016. Personality, humor styles and happiness: Happy people have positive humor styles. Europe’s Journal of Psychology 12(3). 320–37. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1160.Search in Google Scholar
Frankl, Viktor Emil. 1985. Man’s search for meaning. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.Search in Google Scholar
Fredrickson, Barbara L. 2004. The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 359(1449). 1367–1377.10.1098/rstb.2004.1512Search in Google Scholar
Hawke, Lisa D. & Martin D. Provencher. 2012. The Canadian French Young Schema Questionnaire: Confirmatory factor analysis and validation in clinical and nonclinical samples. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science 44. 40–49. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026197.Search in Google Scholar
Kline, Rex B. 2016. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling, 4th edn. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Search in Google Scholar
Kosenko, Kami A. & Lance S. Rintamaki. 2010. Forms, functions, and foibles of humor used in AIDS service organizations. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care 21. 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jana.2009.08.001.Search in Google Scholar
Kuiper, Nicholas A. 2012. Humor and resiliency: Towards a process model of coping and growth. Europe’s Journal of Psychology 8. 475–491. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.usouthal.edu/.10.5964/ejop.v8i3.464Search in Google Scholar
Kuiper, Nicholas A. & Catherine Leite. 2010. Personality impressions associated with four distinct humor styles. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 51. 115–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9450.2009.00734.x.Search in Google Scholar
Kuiper, Nicholas A. & Nicola McHale. 2009. Humor styles as mediators between self-evaluative standards and psychological well-being. Journal of Psychology 143. 359–376. https://doi.org/10.3200/JRLP.143.4.359-376.Search in Google Scholar
Kuiper, Nicholas A., Melissa Grimshaw, Catherine Leite & Gillian A. Kirsh. 2004. Humor is not always the best medicine: Specific components of sense of humor and psychological well-being. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research 17. 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1515/humr.2004.002.Search in Google Scholar
Kuiper, Nicholas A., Dana Klein, Jaclyn Vertes & Nadia Brittany Maiolino. 2014. Humor styles and the intolerance of uncertainty model of generalized anxiety. Europe’s Journal of Psychology 10. 543–556.10.5964/ejop.v10i3.752Search in Google Scholar
Luthar, Suniya S., Dante Cicchetti & Bronwyn Becker. 2000. The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development 71. 543–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00164.Search in Google Scholar
Martin, Rod A. 2007. Psychology of humor: An integrative approach. Burlington, MA: Academic Press. Available at: http://www.ebrary.com.Search in Google Scholar
Martin, Rod A., Patricia Puhlik-Doris, Gwen Larsen, Jeanette Gray & Kelly Weir. 2003. Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the humor styles questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality 37. 48–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00534-2.Search in Google Scholar
Masten, Ann S., J. J. Cutuli, Janette E. Herbers & Marie-Gabrielle G. Reed. 2009. Resilience in development. In C. R. Snyder & Shane J. Lopez (eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology, 117–131. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195187243.013.0012Search in Google Scholar
Mosley-Johnson, Elise, Emma Garacci, Nick L. Wagner, Carlos E. Méndez, Joni S. Williams & Leonard E. Egede. 2018. Assessing the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and social well-being: United States Longitudinal Cohort 1995–2014. Quality of Life Research 28. 907–914.10.1007/s11136-018-2054-6Search in Google Scholar
Neenan, Michael. 2009. Developing resilience: A cognitive-behavioral approach. New York, NY: Routledge.10.4324/9780203874417Search in Google Scholar
Newsome, Jamie, Jamie C. Vaske, Krista S. Gehring & Danielle L. Boisvert. 2016. Sex differences in sources of resilience and vulnerability to risk for delinquency. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 45(4). 730–745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0381-2.Search in Google Scholar
O’Donohue, William T. & Jane E. Fisher (eds.). 2008. Cognitive behavior therapy: Applying empirically supported techniques in your practice, 2nd edn. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Search in Google Scholar
Ozbay, Fatih, Douglas C. Johnson, Eleni Dimoulas, C. A. Morgan, Dennis Charney & Steven Southwick. 2007. Social support and resilience to stress: From neurobiology to clinical practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont) 4(5). 35–40.Search in Google Scholar
Peterson, Christopher, Nansook Park & Martin E. P. Seligman. 2005. Assessment of character strengths. In Gerald P. Koocher, John C. Norcross & Sam S. HillIII (eds.), Psychologists’ desk reference, 2nd edn. 93–98. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Search in Google Scholar
Poncy, George William. 2017. Maladaptive humor styles as mediators of the relationship between attachment insecurity and emotion regulation. International Journal of Humor Research 30(2). 147–168. https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2016-0096.Search in Google Scholar
Riso, Lawrence P., Pieter L. du Toit, Dane J. Stein & Jeffery E. Young (eds.). 2007. Cognitive schemas and core beliefs in psychological problems: A scientist-practitioner guide. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.https://doi.org/10.1037/11561-000.Search in Google Scholar
Sakulsriprasert, Chaiyun, Darunee Phukao, Suree Kanjanawong & Natthani Meemon. 2016. The reliability and factor structure of Thai Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3. Asian Journal of Psychiatry 24. 85–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2016.09.011.Search in Google Scholar
Schmidt, Norman B., Thomas E. Joiner, Jeffery E. Young & Michael J. Telch. 1995. The Schema Questionnaire: Investigation of psychometric properties and the hierarchical structure of a measure of maladaptive schemas. Cognitive Therapy and Research 19(3). 295–321. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230402.Search in Google Scholar
Tucker, Raymond P., Matt R. Judah, Victoria M. O’Keefe, Adam C. Mills, William V. Lechner, Collin L. Davidson, DeMond M. Grant & LaRicka R. Wingate. 2013a. Humor styles impact the relationship between symptoms of social anxiety and depression. Personality and Individual Differences 55. 823–827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.07.008.Search in Google Scholar
Tucker, Raymond P., LaRicka R. Wingate, Victoria M. O’Keefe, Meredith L. Slish, Matt R. Judah & Sarah Rhoades-Kerswill. 2013b. The moderating effect of humor style on the relationship between interpersonal predictors of suicide and suicidal ideation. Personality and Individual Differences 54. 610–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.11.023.Search in Google Scholar
Veselka, Livia, Julie Aitken Schermer, Rod A. Martin & Philip A. Vernon. 2010. Laughter and resiliency: A behavioral genetic study of humor styles and mental toughness. Twin Research and Human Genetics 13. 442–449. https://doi.org/10.1375/twin.13.5.442.Search in Google Scholar
Windle, Gill, Kate M. Bennett & Jane Noyes. 2011. A methodological review of resilience measurement scales. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 9. 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-9-8.Search in Google Scholar
Yates, Tuppett M. & Ann S. Masten. 2004. Fostering the future: Resilience theory and the practice of positive psychology. In P. Alex Linley & Stephen Joseph (eds.), Positive psychology in practice, 521–539. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.10.1002/9780470939338.ch32Search in Google Scholar
Young, Jeffrey E., Janet S. Klosko & Marjorie E. Weshaar. 2003. Schema therapy: A practitioner’s guide. New York, NY: Guilford.Search in Google Scholar
Yue, Xiao Dong, Katy Wing-Yin Liu, Feng Jiang & Neelam Arjan Hiranandani. 2014. Humor styles, self-esteem, and subjective happiness. Psychological Reports 115(2). 517–525.10.2466/07.02.PR0.115c18z6Search in Google Scholar
© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
