The Mediating Role of Anxiety in the Relationship Between Humor Coping and Secondary Traumatic Stress

This study examined the role of anxiety in mediating the relationship between humor coping and secondary traumatic stress. A predictive correlational model was employed to conduct the research. The study included 581 participants aged 18 to 65, comprising 408 females and 173 males. Data were collected using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Humor Coping Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Scale. The analyses were conducted using SPSS Process Hayes Macro. The results indicated that female participants exhibited higher levels of secondary traumatic stress, state anxiety, and trait anxiety compared to male participants. However, their levels of humor coping did not differ significantly. The findings further revealed that humor coping did not have a statistically significant direct effect on secondary traumatic stress. Instead, it reduced state and trait anxiety levels, which in turn mitigated secondary traumatic stress. Additionally, trait anxiety emerged as a stronger mediating factor than state anxiety. These findings suggest that humor is an effective coping mechanism, with anxiety playing a crucial role in the process.