Humor Coping and Flourishing: Investigating the Mediating Role of Resilience and Optimism

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether resilience and optimism are mediator between humor coping and flourishing among Turkish university students. Totally 351 (201 females and 150 males, mean age = 20.26±1.75) students completed a self-report questionnaire including the Humor Coping Scale, the Flourishing Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Life Orientation Test-R Scale. The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling and bootstrapping method. Structural modeling showed that humor coping had not a direct effect on flourishing, fully mediated by resilience and optimism. The results of the bootstrap estimation procedure indicated that the indirect effect of resilience and optimism on the relationship between humor coping and flourishing was significant. The possible explanations and the research implications and limitations are discussed.