title: Humor in counseling and psychotherapy: a 20-year retrospective.
abstract: This article briefly annotates the development of research and theorizing on the use of humor in psychotherapy. Beginning in 1970 and continuing through 1990, the main literature was cursorily scanned. A total of 67 sources are offered for bibliographic use. Sadly, tangential forms of humor such as fun, mirth, frivolity, songs, jokes, puns, witticisms, and other forms of humor are not as readily addressed or investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales 88130.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Shaughnessy
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic