Relations between Psychological Flexibility, Humor Styles and Pain and the Mediating Role of Well-Being

Abstract

The goal of this survey study is to research the relationships between psychological flexibility, adaptive (affiliative and self-enhancing) and maladaptive (aggressive and selfdefeating) humor styles, well-being and pain. It will be investigated whether a high psychological flexibility and adaptive humor styles lead to less pain, whereas maladaptive humor styles lead to more pain and which role well-being plays in these relationships. Furthermore, the relationship between psychological flexibility and humor styles will be explored. An online survey was used, measuring psychological flexibility (FIT-60), humor styles (HSQ), well-being (SF-36) and pain (SF-36, PHQ-15). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and correlation analysis were conducted to examine these relationships. 245 participants finished the study, 85 % was female and the mean age was 44 (SD = 13,6). SEM shows that well-being goes together with less pain. Psychological flexibility goes together with less pain on an indirect path via well-being but when the mediator wellbeing is controlled, psychological flexibility goes together with more pain. Adaptive humor styles show a negative relationship with pain and a positive relationship with psychological flexibility. Maladaptive humor styles, especially the self-defeating humor style show a negative relationship with psychological flexibility. People might score higher on psychological flexibility because they engage so much and avoid negative perceptions. This can lead to less well-being and in turn to more pain. Further research should test how far the different humor styles are correlating and how adaptive or maladaptive they are in fact. It might also be that self-directed humor styles are closer related to well-being, pain and psychological flexibility than other-directed.