‘Lose Everything, But Do Not Lose Your Joy.’ The Role of Humor in the Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Life Satisfaction Among University Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract University is a period during which young people face numerous academic, social, and economic stressors. These stressors can increase psychological distress and reduce life satisfaction. However, humor stands out as an effective coping mechanism. At this point, coping through humor can be a protective factor that helps manage psychological distress. This study examined the mediating role of coping through humor in the relationship between university students’ psychological distress and their life satisfaction using an explanatory sequential design. In the quantitative phase of the study, a cross-lagged panel model was used by collecting data at two different time points, four months apart. The final sample in the quantitative stage, designed semi-longitudinally, consisted of 254 university students (M = 21.80; SD = 2.29). The findings suggest that the variables in the study exhibit meaningful longitudinal relationships and that coping through humor serves as a longitudinal mediating factor in the relationship between psychological distress and life satisfaction among university students. The second phase of the research employed a descriptive phenomenological design, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 participants, who were students. The interviews, which examined the students’ experiences of using humor, were analysed using content analysis. As a result of the analyses, four themes were established: ‘Reasons for humor use among university students, ways university students use humor, humor as a tool for reducing psychological distress, and humor’s contribution to life satisfaction,’ along with fifteen sub-themes explaining these themes. The findings highlight the importance of humor in alleviating psychological distress and promoting life satisfaction among university students.