Longitudinal associations between humor styles and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence

Abstract

This study assessed the concurrent and prospective associations between psychosocial adjustment and four humor styles, two of which are adaptive (affiliative, self-enhancing) and two maladaptive (aggressive, self-defeating). Participants were 1,234 adolescents (52% female) aged 11-13 years, drawn from six secondary schools in England. Self-reports of psychosocial adjustment (loneliness, depressive symptomatology, and self-esteem) and humor styles were collected at two time points (fall and summer). In cross-lagged panel analyses, self-defeating humor was associated with an increase in both depressive symptoms and loneliness, and with a decrease in self-esteem. In addition, depressive symptoms predicted an increase in the use of self-defeating humor over time, indicating that these may represent a problematic spiral of thoughts and behaviors. Self-esteem was associated with an increase in the use of affiliative humor over the school year but not vice-versa. These results inform our understanding of the ways in which humor is associated with psychosocial adjustment in adolescence.

Longitudinal associations between younger children's humour styles and psychosocial adjustment

“…In support of this, Fox et al . (2016a) did find bidirectional associations between humour styles and psychosocial adjustment with older children aged 11–13 years. For example, self‐defeating humour at Time 1 was found to predict an increase in depression at Time 2, whilst depressive symptoms also predicted an increase in the use of self‐defeating humour over time.…”

“…Similarly, if children have only just begun to use the self‐enhancing and self‐defeating humour styles, it could be that associations with adjustment become apparent over a longer period of time meaning that associations may be different to those seen in adolescents by Fox et al . (2016a).…”

“…Whilst this would allow for stronger statements regarding cause and effect in this age group to be made, it was acknowledged that it may be difficult to detect change in a short term longitudinal study across one school year. Based on previous findings, however (Fox et al ., 2016a), it was predicted that the adaptive humour styles would be associated with better adjustment over time whilst the maladaptive humour styles would be associated with poorer adjustment. In line with adult research, James and Fox (2016b) found that boys reported a greater use of the maladaptive humour styles.…”

“…Depressive symptoms also predicted an increase in the use of self-defeating humour over time. Fox et al (2016a) suggested that children may get caught in a vicious cycle when using this sort of humour with one problem exacerbating the other. Furthermore, self-esteem predicted an increase in affiliative humour over time.…”

“…As mentioned above, compared to affiliative and aggressive humour, self-enhancing and self-defeating may be more dependent on cognitive processes. Similarly, if children have only just begun to use the self-enhancing and self-defeating humour styles, it could be that associations with adjustment become apparent over a longer period of time meaning that associations may be different to those seen in adolescents by Fox et al (2016a).…”