Moderating Role of Humor on the Relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas on Depression

RM 218

Depression is a major problem among college youth, often impacting their academic performance, social relationships and emotional health. According to the American College Health Association, 32.5% of college students reported that they felt so depressed over the past 12 months that they found it difficult to function, with 8.1% of those students responding that they clearly considered suicide as a result. With depression affecting so many college students, it is important for researchers to elucidate specific precursors of depression in order help prevent and treat depression in college students. Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS), a form of cognitive vulnerability, are broad negative beliefs about oneself and others, that have been positively correlated with symptoms of depression. In the current study, we attempt to further examine the relationship between EMS, coping, humor and depression. Previous research has shown that certain humor styles are negatively associated with depression and may mediate the relationship between EMS and depression. This finding, however, is inconsistent with a large majority of coping research that has found moderating effects. This study extends prior research by proposing that certain humor styles can serve as a form of coping and thus a moderating variable of the relationship between EMS and depression.