Humor style as predictors of flow, mental toughness, team cohesion, coach-athlete relationship: Study on adolescent athletes

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of humor styles with the flow, mental toughness, team cohesion and coach-athlete relationship quality in adolescents athletes. Methods: 139 girls (Mage = 15.44± 1.00) and 213 boys (Mage= 15.73± 1.41), in total 352 (Mage = 15.61 ± 1.27) adolescent athletes participated in this study. "Personal Information Form", "Humor Style Questionnaire", "Short Dispositional Flow Scale-2","Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire", "Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire" and "Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire" were administered to athletes. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze. Results: Analysis indicated that affiliative humor style was significant and positive predictor of dispositional flow (β= 0.12, p<0,05), mental toughness (β= 0,18, p<0,01), closeness (β= 0,12, p<0,05), commitment (β= 0,13, p<0,05), complementarity (β= 0.12, p<0,05), subscales of coach-athlete relationship quality and social cohesion subscale of team cohesion (β= 0,14, p<0,05) in adolescent athletes. Moreover, self-enhancing humor style was significant and positive predictor of dispositional flow (β= 0.23, p<0,01). Furthermore, aggressive humor style was significant and negative predictor of dispositional flow (β= -0.12, p<0,05), mental toughness (β= -0,25, p<0,01), closeness (β= -0,21, p<0,05) and complementarity (β= -0.21, p<0,01) subscales of coach-athlete relationship quality and task cohesion subscale of team cohesion (β= -0.14, p<0,05). Conclusions: In conclusion, affiliative and aggressive humor styles are the important predictors of dispositional flow, mental toughness, coach - athlete relationship quality and team cohesion levels in adolescents athletes. Keywords: Humor Style, flow, mental toughness, team cohesion, coach-athlete relationship