The therapeutic use of humor for psychiatric disturbances of adolescents and adults

Abstract

The use of humor in psychiatric care and treatment is examined within a life-span-development context, comparing its utility in late adolescence with that in early adulthood. The literature of the past two decades, based on careful experimental research as well as on more subjective clinical experience, tend to support the following conclusions: A well-developed sense of humor provides a beneficial ingredient to the patient's coping or adjustive ability. The salutary physiological effects of laughter are the same for adolescents and adults. In terms of psychosocial factors, individual rather than developmental stage differences in the patient's personality, psychopathology and humor preference will alter the effectiveness of humor application. According to a cognitive-behavioral analysis, the mechanism by which positive emotions (including laughter) operate to reduce or eliminate the undesirable negative emotions resides in the interplay of the physiological and psychological processes involved in the stress reaction and its management. Finally, to be optimally effective the psychiatrist should undertake formal training in the use of humor techniques comparable to the traditional training in the usual assessment and therapeutic procedures.

Humour therapy in patients with late‐life depression or Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study

“…One psychotherapeutic intervention is the therapeutic use of humour (Saper, 1990). Humour can be seen as a specific defence mechanism (Strotzka, 1956/ 57), by which positive emotions operate to reduce the undesirable negative emotions involved in a stress situation.…”

Association Between Media Use in Adolescence and Depression in Young Adulthood

“…Biomedical studies have shown that mirthful laughter can reduce stress,46 and laughter therapy has emerged as a possible therapeutic method 41. Humor has even been found to be beneficial among depressed and terminally ill patients 47,48. Life-affirming media messages may similarly protect against depression.…”

The humour tourist: A conceptualisation

“…Laughter has also been shown to change a person's mood and create a sense of well being (Szabo, 2003). As a result, many health professionals now prescribe laughter therapy to help people cope with physical, mental and spiritual issues (Strubbe, 2003), recognising that humour is beneficial to a person's ability to cope throughout his/her life (Saper, 1990). Therefore, humour has "cognitive, emotional, physiological, and behavioural components and is important to human interaction and survival" (Solomon, 1996, p. 250).…”