Humour styles as predictors of psychological and somatic health in under graduates of COMSATS University, Lahore

J Pak Med Assoc. 2020 Dec;70(12(B)):2352-2355. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.184.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the predictability of humour styles on psychological and Somatic health of university students.

Methods: The study was carried out at COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus during the period of 1st September 2018 to 30th December, 2018. Correlation research design was used to assess the study objectives. A sample of 199 (93 females & 106 males) university students falling in age range from 18 to 26 years with mean age =21.02±1.78 years were assessed on self-report measures to Humour styles questionnaire, Physical Health Questionnaire, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale.

Results: It was found from simultaneous regression analyses that after controlling potential confounding effects due to demographic, affiliative humour was a negative predictor of stress, anxiety, and depression; while aggressive humour was a positive predictor of stress only. However, both negative humour styles, that are aggressive and self defeating humour styles, were negative predictors of somatic health.

Conclusion: It was concluded that relationship oriented positive humour style is a protective factor against psychological distress but negative humour styles are detrimental for physical health.

Keywords: Humour styles, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Somatic Health.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychological Distress*
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities*
  • Young Adult