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Abstract
This study examines the uses of humor among cardiovascular patients to test the associations between humor use, satisfaction with companion relationships, and health during recovery. Self-report data were collected from members of two national support groups for patients recovering from cardiovascular disease. As expected, general humorousness associated with social and psychological well-being. Several specific functions of humor in cardiovascular recovery were identified and linked with health perceptions. Antidote humor increased social and psychological health perceptions, whereas conversation regulation humor and distancing humor were negatively related to perceived social and psychological health. Relationship satisfaction mediated most effects. The findings offer new insight into the variability of humor effects, particularly following cardiovascular treatment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was completed as part of the first author's MA thesis, completed under the supervision of the second author. An earlier version of the work was presented at the 2012 International Communication Association conference, Phoenix, AZ. The authors made equal contributions to this article, and the order of authorship is alphabetical.