Humor and mental health

The idea that humor can be associated with mental well-being has been spreading in recent years; therefore, a discrete body of research has investigated the potential benefits of humor for mental health and psychological well-being. Some evidence has emerged that humor produces positive short-term emotional changes and may attenuate negative emotions as a result of cognitive distraction. Nevertheless, cross-sectional studies have found no single correlations between sense of humor and the ability to regulate negative emotions. Different humor styles have been found to mediate the relationship between positive personality qualities and well-being, although the mediator models used to explain this relationship are still far from producing conclusive results. Research findings make clear that humor is a multidimensional construct, consisting of components that can affect mental health and well-being either positively or negatively. Consequently, various humor styles may have different effects on social interactions as well as mental health. Therefore, in examining the potential role of humor in improving mental health processes and psychological well-being we should take into consideration various humor styles, contexts and circumstances.