Humor Intervention Programs

Ruch, Willibald; McGhee, Paul E.

doi:10.1002/9781118315927.ch10

Cited by 54 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Secondly, when combining these findings with those related to mean-level changes, the strengths of humor seems especially useful for interventions targeting well-being: The results suggest both, a strong relationship with well-being changes (although only with general well-being as measured by the AHI and not life satisfaction as measured by the SWLS in the present study) and a potential large amenability for change, in comparison to the other strengths. This supports previous findings of humor-based intervention programs (Ruch & Hofmann, 2017;Ruch & McGhee, 2014;Wellenzohn, Proyer, & Ruch, 2016b, 2016a that often have been found to be potent strategies for increasing wellbeing, while one study also was able to provide evidence for the malleability of humor in a multi-stage humor-intervention program (Ruch, Hofmann, Stolz, & Rusch, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The findings with regard to general health were also mostly parallel to those reported in and confirmed our expectations (i.e., positive relationships for zest, hope, selfregulation, persistence, and humor) and with positive relationships of the strengths of hope, zest, self-regulation, and persistence, while changes in humor did not go along with changes in general health in the present study. Humor has been linked to adaptive coping and keeping a light attitude in the face of adversity (for an overview, see Ruch & Hofmann, 2017;Ruch & McGhee, 2014; see also Hofmann, Heintz, Pang, & Ruch, 2018 in this special issue). Thus, it might be that humor increased as a result of facing threats to general health and well-being threats (and successfully coping with them), while the level of general health did not drop (i.e., could be maintained).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Character Strengths – Stability, Change, and Relationships with Well-Being Changes

Gander

Hofmann

Proyer

et al. 2019

Applied Research Quality Life

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Character strengths are positively valued personality traits that are assumed to be stable across time and situations, but also malleable due to cultivation or deliberate intervention. Also, studies showed that character strengths are robustly related to well-being. Consequently, character strengths have often been used in interventions aimed at increasing well-being. However, the stability of character strengths and the longitudinal relationships with well-being are widely unexplored: First, previous reports on the stability of character strengths have mainly focused on one assessment instrument only and second, they did not consider other indicators of stability (and malleability) besides rank-order stability, (i.e., mean-level stability). In this longitudinal study, we assessed character strengths and well-being at two time points and examined the stability and malleability of character strengths and the convergence of changes in character strengths and well-being by means of correlation analyses. Two samples (n1 = 601, n2 = 1162) completed different measures of character strengths and instruments for the assessment of well-being, ill-being, and health within up to three and a half years. Results showed that character strengths are stable over longer time periods (test-retest reliabilities ranging from rtt = .60-.83) and that relationships between changes in strengths and well-being are highly parallel to what has been reported in cross-sectional studies (strongest relationships for zest, hope, curiosity, and love). Furthermore, results suggest that some strengths, most predominantly humor, but also spirituality and prudence might be more amenable for change than others. These results might bear important information for selecting character strengths in interventions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Character Strengths – Stability, Change, and Relationships with Well-Being Changes

Gander

Hofmann

Proyer

et al. 2019

Applied Research Quality Life

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“…Gander et al (2013) replicated these findings and, in addition, tested the effects of three variants of these interventions (i.e. three good things during two weeks, combining three good things [first week] and gratitude visit [second week], and replacing three good things by three funny things; see Proyer, Gander, Wellenzohn, & Ruch, 2014;Ruch & McGhee, 2014), and three interventions that had not been empirically tested in an online setting previously (i.e. counting kindness; one door closes, another door opens; and gift of time).…”

Section: Introduction Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 88%

Toward a Better Understanding of What Makes Positive Psychology Interventions Work: Predicting Happiness and Depression From the Person × Intervention Fit in a Follow-Up after 3.5 Years

Proyer

Wellenzohn

Gander

et al. 2014

Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being

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“…The Laughie was also reported to be ineffective in very low mood when purposefully contemplating humorous incidents to laugh. Mirthful laughter can be compromised in difficult circumstances and training a humour response may be helpful [38]. Joyful, happy, cheerful and playful laughter, the Laughie 'default' is recommended as it liberates from the need for 'funniness'.…”

Section: Maintenancementioning

confidence: 99%

Prescribing laughter to increase well-being in healthy adults: An exploratory mixed methods feasibility study of the Laughie

Gonot-Schoupinsky

Garip

2019

European Journal of Integrative Medicine

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Introduction: Calls for a practical laughter prescription have been made by the medical community. This research developed the Laughie and evaluated its impact to elicit laughter and increase well-being in healthy adults. The Laughie is a user-created one minute recording of the user's laughter, operated by replaying it while laughing simultaneously. Methods: A mixed methods preliminary feasibility study was conducted between March and May 2018. Twenty-one participants aged 25 to 93 (x=51, SD=20) created a Laughie and were instructed to laugh with it three times a day for seven days, documenting each trial. Well-being was measured prior to and post-intervention using the World Health Organization (WHO five-item) well-being index. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Evaluation considered the Feasibility, Reach-out, Acceptability, Maintenance, Efficacy, Implementation and Tailorability (FRAME-IT) of the Laughie. Results: The Laughie elicited laughter for most of the one minute in 89% of 420 Laughie trials; immediate well-being increased in 70% of them. Absolute overall WHO well-being scores increased post-intervention by 16%. Laughie evaluation using FRAME-IT showed the Laughie was feasible, acceptable, and tailorable. Four smart laughter techniques that facilitated maintenance/usage were identified. Conclusions: The Laughie was feasible, enjoyable, and effective as a laughter prescription in eliciting laughter. Fourteen participants reported absolute well-being

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Humor Intervention Programs

Cited by 54 publications

References 30 publications

Character Strengths – Stability, Change, and Relationships with Well-Being Changes

Character Strengths – Stability, Change, and Relationships with Well-Being Changes

Toward a Better Understanding of What Makes Positive Psychology Interventions Work: Predicting Happiness and Depression From the Person × Intervention Fit in a Follow-Up after 3.5 Years

Prescribing laughter to increase well-being in healthy adults: An exploratory mixed methods feasibility study of the Laughie

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