2014/03/18 by Alicja Rieger, J. Patrick McGrail
Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Communication in Education and Healthcare #Education Practices and Challenges #Humor Studies and Applications
paper · doi:10.1177/0022466914525994
crossref issued 2014/03/18 · crossref published 2014/03/18 · crossref published-online 2014/03/18 · openalex publication_date 2014/03/18 · crossref created 2014/03/19 · crossref published-print 2015/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref deposited 2026/05/01 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The humor styles and family functioning of parents of children with disabilities are understudied subjects. This study seeks to shed quantitative light on these areas. Seventy-two parents of children with disabilities completed the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV) and the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ). The FACES IV measured several dimensions of family functioning: cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction. Cohesion and flexibility were variously scored to indicate whether a balanced or unbalanced propensity for these existed within the family. The HSQ was used to examine whether two adaptive styles of humor (affiliative and self-enhancing) and two maladaptive styles of humor (aggressive and self-defeating), were associated with balanced and unbalanced cohesion and flexibility, as well as with the presence of communication and satisfaction. The most significant results indicated a persistent correlation between prosocial humor styles and family communication and satisfaction. Further exploratory research is urged.