7/28/2023 Chicago – A startling new study published this week in the Journal of Science confirms earlier research showing that children exposed to bad dad jokes can dramatically impact a child’s mental health. This week’s study revealed there was a correlation between a child’s frequency experiencing these “groaners” to higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, and depression later in life.

The original landmark study published in September 2015 used surveys and interviews of children survivors to demonstrate the affect lame dad jokes had on children. See video as an example below.

Now, researchers at Stanford University have validated these findings using more rigorous experimental techniques. The research team recruited 100 fathers and their 6-12 year old children. The fathers were randomly split into two groups – a control group that interacted normally with their kids, and an experimental group that was instructed to tell at least 10 corny dad jokes per day. In addition, the researchers followed up with a few of the children from the original study 8 years ago.

The research found that a whopping 83% of children who were frequently subjected to lame, overly corny dad jokes struggled with their mental health. Common long term effects included flashbacks to embarrassing moments when their father told an ill-timed pun in front of their friends.

Using fMRI brain scanning technology, the researchers found that the children of joke-telling dads showed activation in areas of the brain associated with stress and fear. These children also had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

“The data clearly shows that bad dad jokes can have serious negative impacts on a child’s developing brain,” lead researcher Dr. Ida Noid said in an interview. “Especially during the sensitive developmental years between 6-12 years old, exposure to high volumes of cringeworthy dad humor appears to rewire neural connections in ways that contribute to psychological distress down the road.”

The follow up interviews with a few of those involved in the original study were more disturbing and revealing.

Sarah Riddings, now 19, estimates her father told over 20,000 bad jokes during her childhood, averaging 5-10 daily. “I still have intense feelings of anxiety whenever I’m around someone who’s a jokester,” Riddings said. “Even as an adult, hearing a bad pun triggers memories of my own dad shouting out some stupid wisecrack and then laughing hysterically while I cringed in embarrassment. Now, when someone is joking around my face immediately turns red and I have to walk away.”

Likewise, 18 year old Mike Thomas suffers from recurring nightmares linked to his father’s ill-timed dad jokes. “Anytime we had guests over, my dad would inevitably break out the corny wordplay. I still wake up in a cold sweat from dreams where I’m back at the dinner table, bracing myself for one of his dumb jokes while hoping the floor would swallow me whole.”

Lastly, Alexis Jones, age 20, suffers from disillusionment from her father’s tales. “My dad has a cleft chin. While growing up he kept telling me the indent was there because as a child he was ‘kicked in the chin by a horse’. He had all these puns about his ‘butt crack chin ‘,” Jones continued. “I was traumatized and told all my friends to be careful around horses because of what happened to my dad. It was only as an adult I learned the truth and was so embarrassed.”

Noid concluded, “While further studies are needed, we now have even stronger evidence that limiting young children’s exposure to cheesy puns and lame wordplay is critical for supporting healthy mental development.”

BY BS

The Journalist BS