Cognitive flexibility and psychological hardiness: examining the mediating role of positive humor styles and happiness in teachers

In this study, the mediating role of positive humor styles and happiness in the relationship between cognitive flexibility and psychological hardiness was investigated. The participants in the study, which was conducted based on a correlational design, one of the quantitative research methods, consisted of 613 volunteer teachers (322 women, 291 men) employed in various schools and institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Turkey. The study data were obtained through the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, the Psychological Hardiness Scale, the Humor Styles Questionnaire, and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short-Form. Correlation analysis, structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were used for the analysis of the data. The results obtained from the mediation test showed that cognitive flexibility positively predicted psychological hardiness, and that positive humor styles and happiness were partial mediating variables in this relationship. The findings obtained in the research were discussed in the light of the related literature and recommendations were presented.