Validation of the HEISS-G and the role of humor production for psychological well-being in a structural equation modeling approach

Abstract The current study presents the first validation of the German version of the Humor Efficacy and Identity Short Scales (HEISS-G), which captures self-conceptions about one’s own humor abilities and humor identity. Consistent with the original HEISS (Silvia et al. 2021. Funny selves: Development of the humor efficacy and identity Short scales (HEISS). Personality and Individual Differences 182. 111093), both scales demonstrated unidimensionality, good score reliability, good item discrimination and an appropriate range of item difficulties ( n = 528). Further, the predictive value of different humor styles and humor production on psychological well-being has been investigated in a structural equation model (SEM), including the HEISS-G as measurement of self-beliefs about humor production for further validation ( n = 200). Preliminary correlation analyses showed that humor efficacy, humor identity and self-enhancing humor production were positively and significantly associated with psychological well-being. In the SEM, humor styles rather than humor production correlated with psychological well-being. These results may be explained by potential content-related overlaps among the humor production and humor styles. Overall, the results suggest that self-enhancing or lighthearted forms of humor are associated with increased psychological well-being.