Humor and Happiness Among People With Multiple Sclerosis

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Audre Tyner (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
Thomas Ford

Abstract: The proposed research consisted of one study that examined the relationship between humor styles and happiness among people with a chronic illness, specifically Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In this study, we used correlational methods to test the hypothesis that a self-enhancing humor style relates positively to happiness and negatively to anxiety. That is, to the extent people habitually use self-enhancing humor to joke about their illness, they should report being generally happier and less anxious. We distributed a survey compromised of four measures to assess participant’s levels of happiness, anxiety, perceived stress in their daily lives, and the degree to which they used self-enhancing humor. Our findings supported the hypothesis that people who have Multiple Sclerosis and a self-enhancing humor style tend to be happier and less anxious because they perceive less stress in their daily lives.

Additional Information

Publication
Other
Presentation submitted to the 2020 Research and Scholarship Conference, Western Carolina University.
Language: English
Date: 2020
Keywords
chronic illness, Multiple Sclerosis, humor, happiness

Email this document to