Traumatic Stress and Death Anxiety Among Community Residents Exposed to an Aircraft Crash

Abstract

This article examined the relationship between traumatic stress and death anxiety among community residents who lived near woodlands in which an aircraft had crashed in Coventry, England. The hypothesis was that there would be a high level of impact of the crash experienced by residents and that the residents would experience psychological distress. It was also hypothesized that the impact of the crash and distress were associated with death anxiety. Eighty-two residents were interviewed for the study. They were asked to complete the Impact of Event Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Death Anxiety Scale. The results showed that Coventry residents were found to experience intrusive thoughts and display avoidance behavior. The residents' intrusive thoughts and avoidance behavior were significantly more severe than one group of Horowitz's standardized samples (i.e., the medical students), but not significantly different from another group (i.e., the stress clinic samples). Fifty-seven percent scored at or above the GHQ cutoff point, which meant that they were considered to be psychiatric cases. Community residents scored significantly lower in death anxiety than the standardized high-death anxiety patients but no differently from the standardized control patients. Correlations were found between the impact of the event, psychological distress, and death anxiety.

Fear of death in the shadow of COVID-19: The mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between neuroticism and death anxiety

“…Further, results show that death anxiety was positively correlated with perceived stress. Previous research has also identified the positive correlation between death anxiety and stress (Abdollahi et al, 2019;Chung et al, 2000). Similarly, in line with previous studies (Ebstrup et al, 2011, Gunthert et al, 1999, the results of the present study also show a positive association between neuroticism and perceived stress.…”

“…There is considerable evidence for the presence of a positive association between neuroticism and death anxiety (Frazier & Foos-Goodman, 1989;Loo, 1984;Templer, 1972). Previous research established a positive relationship between death anxiety and stress (Abdollahi et al, 2019;Chung et al, 2000) and an association between neuroticism and perceived stress (Ebstrup et al, 2011, Gunthert et al, 1999. However, there is an absence of research that explores the relationship between neuroticism and death anxiety via perceived stress.…”

Associations Between Existential Concerns and Adverse Experiences: A Systematic Review

“…It is an inherently human condition in which we are aware at varying levels of our own mortality (Hoelterhoff & Chung, 2017). To help people who suffer from traumatic responses, it is relevant to explore the possibility of death anxiety, even though it not may be apparent to many clinicians (Chung et al, 2000). In a sample of university students, death anxiety predicted PTSD but it was not associated to psychiatric comorbidity (Hoelterhoff & Chung, 2017).…”

“…In a sample of university students, death anxiety predicted PTSD but it was not associated to psychiatric comorbidity (Hoelterhoff & Chung, 2017). Those exposed to an aircraft crash showed some amount of death anxiety, but less than the standardized high death anxiety and no differently than control patients (Chung et al, 2000). Impact of the event, psychological distress, and death anxiety were correlated.…”

Validity and reliability of the persian version of templer death anxiety scale in family caregivers of cancer patients

“…In this way, death anxiety (DA) can lead to fear of isolation and loneliness in life. [ 2 ] Threatening diagnoses, such as cancer, can precipitate a deep crisis in the daily life of patients and their families. [ 3 ] DA has become an important concept in various fields such as cancer treatment and palliative care.…”