A Comparison of Death Anxiety and Denial in Death-Risk and Death-Exposure Occupations

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between death anxiety and denial scale scores of persons employed in death-risk (DRG), death-exposure (DEG), or low-risk (CG) occupations. Participants were active duty military (DRG), health care providers (DEG), and college students (CG). Death anxiety instruments selected were Hoelter's Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) and Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Spielberger's Rationality/Emotional Defensiveness (R/ED) Scale was the denial measure. The two death anxiety scales were positively correlated ( p = .001). There was no significant difference between groups on the MFODS nor the DAS. There was an inverse correlation between death anxiety and denial measures; the correlation was significant for the health care providers (DEG). Gender effect does not explain these differences. While age and occupational measures are confounded in this research design, additional analyses yielded similar findings ( r = –.337, p = .01). The results are interpreted according to perceptual control theory.

Measuring Spirituality, Religiosity, and Denial in Individuals Working in Funeral Service to Predict Death Anxiety

“…Participants who had lower levels of death anxiety did not appear to invoke denial as a coping mechanism against the fear of death. This finding is contrary to the findings of Lewis, Espe-Pfeifer, andBlair (1999-2000) and Fleischmann (2002Fleischmann ( -2003 who found that individuals in high death exposure occupations who had low measures of death anxiety did, in fact, report the presence of a denial construct. In the current study, denial did correlate positively with intrinsic religiosity.…”

“…The challenge is how to test the possible use of denial in individuals exhibiting low death anxiety. Lewis, Espe-Pfeifer, andBlair (1999-2000) pointed out the difficulty in establishing meaning of a low death anxiety score if indeed the coping mechanism of denial is present. "The person keeps emotionally threatening thoughts and feelings from consciousness" (p. 423).…”

Death Anxiety in a National Sample of United States Funeral Directors and its Relationship with Death Exposure, Age, and Sex

“…Although Lang (1997) and Thorson and Powell (1996) found higher than average death anxiety in funeral directors, other researchers found average levels or no difference to lower levels of death anxiety between members of this population and others (Keith, 1996(Keith, , 1998Lattanner & Hayslip, 1984;Lewis, Espe-Pfeifer, & Blair, 2000;Lonetto & Templer, 1986;Rockwell, 1981;Schell & Zinger, 1984;Templer, Ruff, & Ayers, 1976). For example, Schell and Zinger assessed death anxiety levels between Canadian funeral directors (n = 149) and a group of part-time college students (n = 93) and college students majoring in computer (n = 42) and mortuary science (n = 56).…”

Social Work Students' Comfort With End-of-Life Care

“…A general review of health-care professionals and comfort with end-of-life issues found studies conducted with nursing students and nurses (Allchin, 2006;Beck, 1997;Deffner & Bell, 2005;Demmer, 2000;Lewis, Espe-Pfeifer, & Blair, 1999;Payne, Dean, & Kalus, 1998;Servaty, Krejci, & Hayslip, 1996), as well as medical students and physicians (Kvale, Berg, Groff, & Lange, 1999;Lloyd-Williams & Dogra, 2003;Servaty et al, 1996;Williams, Wilson, & Olsen, 2005). In one qualitative study (Allchin), interviews with nursing students revealed care themes that included an initial hesitancy and discomfort in end-of-life situations, a need for emotionally processing the experience of providing care to the dying, and an eventual sense of personal and professional benefit from this work.…”