HUMOR AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PERCEIVED HEALTH, LIFE SATISFACTION, AND MORALE IN OLDER ADULTS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 190
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Mental Health.
Description: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between the use of humor as a coping strategy and health indicators as measured by perceived health, life satisfaction, and morale in older adults. The research question was: "What is the relationship between the uses of humor, selected demographic variables, and health indicators in older adults?" The theoretical frameworks used to guide this study were Lazarus and Folkman's theory of stress, appraisal, and coping in addition to the developmental contextual framework of aging.

This study is a correlational survey with a sample of 73 subjects over age 55 who are noninstitutionalized adults who attend community activities. The research instrument was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic data, the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire, Coping Humor Scale, Current Health subscale of the Health Perceptions Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Index, and the Affect Balance Scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson product-moment correlations and stepwise multiple regression.

Findings indicate significant positive relationships between situational humor, and perceived health and morale. There is also a positive relationship between coping humor, and perceived health and morale. Of the independent variables of situational humor, coping humor, residence, sex, age, living arrangements, and socioeconomic status, none are significant predictors of perceived health, whereas the variable of living arrangements is predictive of life satisfaction. Furthermore, coping humor and socioeconomic status are predictive of morale in older adults.

This study adds to the knowledge of humor as a coping strategy to life stressors, as well as a developmental concept in older adults. It will aid in generating further research with humor as a nursing intervention.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-02, Section: B, page: 0498.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1988.

School code: 0227.