Clowning in health-care settings involves special cognitive and emotional requirements and challenges, such as empathy or the ability to find something cheerful and bright in a difficult situation. For the first time it was investigated, if clown doctors differ from nurses and a general population regarding their empathy, their humor styles and their way of coping with difficult situations. Data was collected via online survey, providing a sample of 43 nurses, 39 clown doctors and 58

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... s of a general population. ToM-ability was measured trough the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, empathy was assessed by the IRI (Interpersonal Reactivity Index), humor styles by the HSQ (Humor Styles Questionnaire), coping strategies by the Brief COPE and the use of the coping strategy humor was measured with the CHS(Coping Humor Scale). Results showed that clown doctors achieved significantly higher scores than nurses in the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Nurses reached significantly lower levels than the general population regarding the ToM-ability. Clown doctors showed significantly higher scores than nurses in the scale "fantasy" (IRI) and significantly lower levels than the general population regarding the scale "emotional distress" (IRI). Furthermore group differences in the use of affiliative, self-enhancing and aggressive humor could be noted. Especially the fact that different results concerning the use of the coping strategy humor were found, suggests further research. It can be noted that clown doctors differ in certain emotional abilities from nurses and a general population.