Depressogenic traits and depression: Are humor styles mediators?

Shayne S.-H. Lin; Chai-Chi Hong; Liang-Ting Tsai; Emily T. Liu

doi:10.1515/humor-2020-0001

Artikel

Depressogenic traits and depression: Are humor styles mediators?

Shayne S.-H. Lin
Shayne S.-H. Lin is a Ph.D. clinical psychology student at the University of Alabama, USA. His current research interest concerns neuropsychology and neuroscience on the topic of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but more broadly, he also has tangential interest in clinical studies in regards to depression, stereotypes of mental illness, and health disparity.
, Chai-Chi Hong
Chai-Chi Hong is a clinical psychologist currently at Ton Yen General Hospital, Taiwan. She earned her M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Fu Jen Catholic University. Her current clinical and research interest is in the area of emotional and behavioral disorders among adolescents.
, Liang-Ting Tsai
Liang-Ting Tsai is an assistant professor at Tzu Chi University. He earned his Ph.D. from National Taichung University of Education, Taiwan. His main research interests are in the areas of science education, marine education, and psychometrics.
und Emily T. Liu
Emily T. Liu is an associate professor at Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taiwan. She earned her Ph.D. from California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) - San Francisco Bay Area Campus, USA. Her main research interests are in the areas of depression and interpersonal behaviors.

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Abstract

Depressogenic traits are personality dispositions that put individuals at a higher risk for developing depression. Measured by the Depressive Experience Questionnaire (DEQ), self-criticism and dependency are two personality traits that are closely related to depression. The current study explored humor styles as potential mediating factors in the relationship between depressogenic traits and depression. Study 1: Given that the traditional Chinese version of the DEQ had not been validated psychometrically, we first conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to determine the most appropriate DEQ scoring system among the existing ones. The results indicated that the reconstructed DEQ had the best psychometric properties for the traditional Chinese version of the DEQ. Study 2: The potential mediating effect of humor styles in the relationship between depressogenic traits and depression was examined. Results showed that two benign humor styles, affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles, mediated the relationship between depressogenic traits (both self-criticism and dependency) and depression. The mediational strength was stronger for self-enhancing than for affiliative humor style. Malign humor styles, aggressive and self-defeating humor styles, did not emerge as mediators. Research and clinical implications for the findings were discussed.

Keywords: depressive experience questionnaire; self-criticism; dependency; humor; depression

Corresponding author: Emily T. Liu, Department of Clinical Psychology, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, No. 510, Zhongzheng Rd., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei 24205, Taiwan, E-mail: emilythliu@gmail.com

Shayne S.-H. Lin is now at Department of Psychology, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA; Chai-Chi Hong is now at Ton Yen General Hospital, Zhubei City, Taiwan.

Funding source: National Science Council

Award Identifier / Grant number: 102-2815-C-030-012-H

Funding source: Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan

About the authors

Shayne S.-H. Lin

Shayne S.-H. Lin is a Ph.D. clinical psychology student at the University of Alabama, USA. His current research interest concerns neuropsychology and neuroscience on the topic of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but more broadly, he also has tangential interest in clinical studies in regards to depression, stereotypes of mental illness, and health disparity.

Chai-Chi Hong

Chai-Chi Hong is a clinical psychologist currently at Ton Yen General Hospital, Taiwan. She earned her M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Fu Jen Catholic University. Her current clinical and research interest is in the area of emotional and behavioral disorders among adolescents.

Liang-Ting Tsai

Liang-Ting Tsai is an assistant professor at Tzu Chi University. He earned his Ph.D. from National Taichung University of Education, Taiwan. His main research interests are in the areas of science education, marine education, and psychometrics.

Emily T. Liu

Emily T. Liu is an associate professor at Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taiwan. She earned her Ph.D. from California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) - San Francisco Bay Area Campus, USA. Her main research interests are in the areas of depression and interpersonal behaviors.

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depressive experience questionnaire; self-criticism; dependency; humor; depression