THE USE OF HUMOUR IN SELF-HELP GROUPS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative study on the use of humour in Self-Help Groups. It investigates four Self- help Groups with different targets, in order to understand what motivates individuals to use humour, whether its perception differs when used by a participant or by the facilitator, and what types of humour are employed, following Martin's classification: Affiliative, Self-Enhancing, Aggressive, and Self-Defeating. The results show that humour serves the function of cohesion, cognitive restructuring, and emotional management. It appears to benefit both the individual and the group as a whole (e.g., reducing anxiety and sadness). No significant differences were found in the perception of humour when used by a participant versus the facilitator.