The use of humor in depression: An integration of benefits and risks

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dc.abstract.enWhile humor is increasingly recognized as a valuable adjunct to traditional, symptom-focused treatments for depression, there remains a lack of integrated clinical guidance for its use. This narrative review synthesizes findings from clinical psychology and humor research to provide a comprehensive analysis of the therapeutic potential of and contraindications to humor interventions in depressed populations. The review examines both the benefits—including emotional gain, responsiveness to humorous material, and the effects of humor-based interventions—and the risks—such as impaired humor skills and possible adverse effects—before integrating the two to offer recommendations for identifying good candidates for humor interventions and for tailoring the content to the profiles of people with depression. Particular consideration is given to the different stages of depressive disorders, the heterogeneous nature of humor, its role as an emotion regulation strategy, and its integration into broader therapeutic frameworks. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for specialized education for practitioners and considering the potential of digital technologies and priorities for future research.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii w Warszawie
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorBraniecka, Anna
dc.date.access2026-07-06
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-08T07:23:15Z
dc.date.available2026-07-08T07:23:15Z
dc.date.created2026-07-06
dc.date.issued2026-08
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.physical1-16
dc.description.sdgGoodHealthAndWellBeing
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume128
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.cpr.2026.102781
dc.identifier.eissn1873-7811
dc.identifier.issn0272-7358
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/2452
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735826000905?via%3Dihub
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enDepression
dc.subject.enHumor
dc.subject.enDepressive disorders
dc.subject.enHumor therapy
dc.subject.enDepression treatment
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleThe use of humor in depression: An integration of benefits and risks
dc.title.journalClinical Psychology Review
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle