Maladaptive Humor Styles as Mediators of the Relationship Between Attachment Insecurity and Emotion Regulation

Abstract

Although theory and research evidence indicate that less securely attached persons are more likely than their secure peers to experience emotion regulation difficulties, this is not necessarily a pre-ordained outcome. Emotion regulation difficulties may be more proximally predicted by individuals’ maladaptive psychological defenses such as humor styles. This study explored the interrelationships between adult attachment orientations (attachment anxiety and avoidance) and perceived bonds with parents (perceived levels of parental care and control), emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and maladaptive humor styles (aggressive and self-defeating humor). Attachment anxiety, avoidance, and maternal care and overprotection were associated in expected directions with aggressive and self-defeating humor, but paternal care and overprotection were not. Additionally, aggressive and self-defeating humor were positively associated with expressive suppression and negatively associated with cognitive reappraisal. Self-defeating humor partially mediated the relationship between a number of attachment predictors (attachment anxiety, avoidance, maternal care, and maternal control) and expressive suppression. For example, attachment anxiety predicted higher use of self-defeating humor, which in turn predicted higher levels of expressive suppression. Finally, aggressive humor partially mediated the relationship between avoidance and cognitive reappraisal. Avoidance predicted higher use of aggressive humor, which in turn predicted lower levels of reappraisal. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

The brief Experiences in Close Relationships Scale - Revised Child version (ECR-RC): Factor structure and invariance across middle childhood and early adolescence

“…With regard to CR, no significant associations emerged with the two attachment-related dimensions. Yet, prior research reported negative correlations between the anxiety and avoidance subscales of the ECR and CR among adults (i.e., Poncy, 2017). Similarly, Gresham and Gullone (2012) found a bivariate association between perceptions of relationships with parents based on the three dimensions of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) and the endorsement of CR in children and adolescents.…”

Humor and Attachment: Exploring the Relationships between Insecure Attachment and the Comic Styles

“…Maladaptive humor was found to mediate the relationship between early maladaptive schema domains and depression, proving how humor may interact between internalized schemas and mental health [15]. When the role of parental emotional bonds, adult attachment orientations, and maladaptive humor styles in emotion regulation was explored, findings showed that both adult attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance positively predicted the use of maladaptive humor styles [16].…”