Abstract
Statement of Problem
There is a paucity of literature to assist social workers desiring information about humor use in social work practice. Several questions evolving from the literature review beg answers: How do social workers use humor effectively to work with clients, relate to coworkers, and prevent burnout in a very stressful profession? Do they approach humor differently depending on the client's culture? What are specific techniques for humor use which can be used in different situations and settings? These are the questions addressed by this research project and the humor guide.
Sources of Data
Data for this project is based on several sources. Oral interviews were conducted with 14 social workers, each with a reputation for using humor and experience with diverse cultures, employed in health and mental health settings. Information was also obtained from a humor seminar given by Jim Pelley of "Laughter Works Seminars" and the handout provided. Secondary data sources included health and psychology journals, textbooks, reference books, and brochures.
Conclusions Reached
Humor is a very complex phenomenon. Each person has their own unique sense of humor based on personality, life experience, age, gender, socioeconomic status, culture, etc. When assessing humor use, one must always follow the social worker's adage of starting where the client starts. Humor can be used for constructive and destructive purposes. "Laughing with" someone is always safer than "laughing at" someone. Humor has been shown to be helpful in putting distance between a person and a problem and in bringing people together, among other things. Humor can not only be beneficial to a person's emotional health, but can also have a positive effect on a person's physical health. For social workers, humor can be a source of coping with stress, building teamwork, and keeping a light atmosphere in the face of an intense work environment. Providing a humor guide for social workers will improve their awareness of how they and their clients use humor in interactions, helping them to utilize it in positive ways and avoid the pitfalls of its destructive potential.