REVIEW article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Autism
Humour as emotion regulation and resource in autism: a narrative review
1. University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
2. Universite de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland
3. FernUni Schweiz Fakultat Psychologie, Brig, Switzerland
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Abstract
Humour is closely linked to psychological well-being in neurotypical populations, supporting emotion regulation through mechanisms such as cognitive reappraisal, distraction, and positive affect. In autism, emotion regulation presents unique challenges, and humour use shows qualitative differences, including reduced reliance on adaptive strategies and a high prevalence of gelotophobia. This narrative review synthesises current evidence on humour as both a trait and a character strength. Findings suggest that although humour is less frequently employed in individuals with autism, it can act as a selective but valuable resource for resilience and well-being. Intervention studies, particularly those developed within neurodiversity-affirming frameworks, highlight the potential of humour-based approaches to strengthen emotional and social functioning in autism.
Summary
Keywords
autism, Emotion Regulation, Humour, neurodiversity, Well-being
Received
17 December 2025
Accepted
10 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Manfredi, Laulan and Samson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Mirella Manfredi
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.