Humor, Personality, and Emotional (Dis)Balance in Older Adults

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https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.435-445

Autor/ Author: Nikoleta Váleková  

In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie

ISBN: 978-80-561-1241-0

Strany/ Page Range: 435-445

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Slovak

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: The main aim of this study was to analyze the role of comic styles as a key factors in explaining depression among older adults in residential social care facilities, even after accounting for the personality traits of Emotionality and Extraversion. We also examined differences in comic style preferences, levels of depression, and personality characteristics with regard to gender, age, voluntariness of stay, and frequency of family visits. Altogether 62 older adults (mean age = 69,45; SD = 4,28) from two residential facilities completed an adapted version of the Comic Styles Markers created by Ruch et al. [2], questionnaire, using the subscales Fun and Benevolent Humor as well as items measuring Sarcasm and Cynicism. They also completed an adapted ver-sion of the HEXACO-PI-R by Ashton & Lee [18] (subscales Extraversion and Emotionality) and the Geriatric Depression Scale by Yesavage et al. [17]. Results indicated that women scored hig-her on Extraversion than men, while no other significant group differences were observed. Par-tial correlations controlling for age and gender revealed a significant positive relationship be-tween Emotionality and depression (r = 0,53, p < 0,001) and a moderate negative relationship between Extraversion and depression (r = –0,31, p < 0,05). Multiple regression analysis showed that sarcasm was associated with higher levels of depression, whereas the Fun style predicted lower depression. Together, these two comic styles explained approximately 14 % of the variance in depression, while Emotionality remained the strongest predictor. The full model explained 47 % of the variance in depression scores. Findings highlight the importance of comic styles in un-derstanding depression among seniors and their potential role in psychological care and pre-vention.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: comis styles, depression, emotionality, extraversion, older adults

Citácia/ How to cite:

VÁLEKOVÁ, Nikoleta, 2026. Humor, osobnosť a psychická (ne)pohoda seniorov. In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie. Online. Ružomberok: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku, 2026, s. 435-445. ISBN 978-80-561-1241-0. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.435-445

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.