Spanish adaptation of the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale

Fear of Death in Colombian Nursing Students

Introduction: Death is a natural phenomenon inherent to the human condition and an inevitable consequence of life. As future professionals, nursing students should face the process of death and recognize their limitations, because emotional aspects can influence the quality of health care, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. This study aimed to quantify the level of fear of death among nursing students in a higher education institution in a region of Colombia. Methods: A quantitative correlational study including 258 university students selected by stratified sampling were administered the Collet-Lester Fear of Death Scale; the results were analyzed for the age, religion, marital status, number of children, and academic level of the respondents. Results: On average, the students were 22.9 years old; 83.3% of them were female, 75.6% were Catholic, 14.1% had at least one child, and 66.7% had experienced bereavement in the family. An association was found between the female gender and the fear of one's own death (p = .025). Conclusion: These findings differ from those reported in other Latin American countries where higher academic level and clinical experience are related to lower fear of death.

Death anxiety and religiosity in a multicultural sample: a pilot study examining curvilinearity, age and gender in Singapore

This study investigated the association between multidimensional death anxiety and religiosity in multicultural Singapore by examining potential variations by age and gender. We also explored the possibility of a curvilinear effect, where highly religious or non-religious individuals report lower death anxiety than moderately religious people, forming an inverted U-curve pattern. Data were collected from 110 participants using questionnaires that assessed death anxiety and religiosity. Parametric and non-parametric tests were then conducted. The findings showed that women had significantly higher death anxiety and religiosity than men, and highly and moderately religious people had significantly higher death anxiety than non-religious people. People of all age groups had similar levels of death anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of developing targeted death anxiety interventions that integrate spiritual aspects in Singapore so that clinicians can provide culturally competent care.

Validation of the Collett-Lester fear of death scale in occupational therapy students: psychometric testing and implications for palliative care education

BACKGROUND

The fear of death is a common experience among healthcare students and professionals that may impact the quality of care provided to patients, particularly those receiving palliative care. The Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale is a widely used instrument to assess this fear, although its psychometric properties have not been extensively studied in Occupational Therapy students. The present study aimed to validate the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale (CL-FODS) in a sample of Occupational Therapy students and to explore its implications for palliative care education.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted to perform psychometric testing of the CL-FODS in Occupational Therapy undergraduate students. Structural validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were analysed. A total of 195 Occupational Therapy students were included in this study. Additionally, the participants completed a brief survey on their experiences and attitudes towards palliative care.

RESULTS

The internal consistency was satisfactory (α = 0.888). The exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the internal structure yielded four factors. The model fit indices were: comparative fit index = 0.89, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). The test-retest reliability was satisfactory and demonstrated an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.939.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish version of the CL-FODS showed satisfactory psychometric properties; therefore, assessing fear of death in Occupational Therapy students is helpful. This study highlights the importance of addressing fear of death and palliative care education in Occupational Therapy undergraduates to improve future professional attitudes and, consequently, the quality of patient care at the end of life.

Anxiety and fear of death in Health Professionals in Hospital Emergency services in Aragón

OBJECTIVES

To describe the levels of anxiety in the face of death in professionals from hospital emergency services in Aragon. To analyse its association with sociodemographic, perception and work-related variables.

METHODOLOGY

Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. The population and context of the study were health professionals in the hospital emergency services of Aragon. A non-probabilistic sampling selection was applied (n = 230 participants). The "Collet-Lester-Fear-of-Death-Scale" instrument was introduced to measure anxiety about death. The data was collected with a self-applied telematic questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to analyse the association between the study variables.

RESULTS

Mean values obtained for anxiety in the face of death were 94.58 ± 21.66 with a CI of 95%: (91.76-97.39) (range of scale: 28-140 points). A significant association was identified with the professional category variables (physicians, medical residents, nurses, and auxiliary nurses) (p: 0,006), gender (p: 0.001), level of training in emotional self-management (p: 0.03), self-perceived level of mental health (p: 0.07) and perception of lack of support from palliative care/mental health professionals (p: 0.006). This association was not obtained with the variables age (Sig: 0.558), total professional experience (p: 0.762) and in emergencies (p: 0.191).

CONCLUSION

The levels of anxiety in the face of death in the emergency hospital services are lower than those presented in other hospital units. Variables such as professional category, degree of training in emotional self-management and self-perceived level of mental health are related to levels of anxiety in the face of death and their study requires further work.

Fear of Death in Medical Students from a Peruvian University during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to close contact with death, medical students may question their own and their patients’ dying process, especially with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the increase in deaths. This situation provokes fear and negative attitudes towards dealing with patients and their environment. This study aimed to assess the level of fear of death and associated factors in medical students at a Peruvian university. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted during March 2021 in human medicine students from the first to the seventh year. A validated survey including the Collet–Lester fear-of-death scale was applied. Factors associated with the fear-of-death score were evaluated by calculating linear regression coefficients (β). A total of 284 students were included. The median age was 22 years, and 58.1% were female. The mean Collet–Lester scale score was 2.79, and it was higher in the dimensions related to the death of others. Adjusted analysis showed that the score on this scale was lower in students aged 24–40 years compared to 17–21 years (β: −0.25; 95% CI: −0.46 to −0.04) and those who had no religious beliefs (β: −0.29; 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.04). In conclusion, fear of death was lower than reported in other investigations despite the COVID-19 situation, being much lower among older students and those without religious beliefs.

Quality of palliative nursing care: Meaning, death anxiety, and the mediating role of well-being

BACKGROUND

There is increasing concern regarding the quality of palliative nursing care. However, despite the growing number of studies identifying related variables, there is still a paucity of studies analyzing models of how these variables interrelate.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to identify the role played in the quality of palliative care of nursing professionals by the variables meaning and death anxiety and to investigate the mediating role of psychological well-being and engagement.

METHOD

176 palliative nursing professionals participated, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling using the snowball method. A simple mediation analysis and a multiple mediator model were performed in parallel, and data were collected using a paper and online questionnaire between January and May 2018.

RESULTS

Well-being mediated the impact of meaning (indirect effect = 0.096, SE = 0.044, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.028, 0.213) and death anxiety (indirect effect = -0.032, SE = 0.013, 95% CI: -0.064, -0.010) on the quality of care. Engagement, on the other hand, only mediated the impact of meaning (indirect effect = 0.185, SE = 0.085, 95% CI: 0.035, 0.372), while the indirect effect of death anxiety with the quality of care through engagement was not statistically significant (indirect effect = 0.008, SE = 0.009, 95% CI: -0.004, 0.032).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

Death anxiety is not directly related to the quality of care, but rather has an effect through psychological well-being, a variable acting as a mediator between the two. The effect of meaning on the quality of care is explained by the mediation of both engagement and psychological well-being, and its impact on the quality of care is thereby mediated by more variables than death anxiety.

Fear of Death between Nursing Students in the Academic and Professional Programs

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:. Nurses inevitably witness death in their professional practice. These experiences can trigger fear of a patient’s death, fear of their own death or fear of the dying process. A review of literature revealed the absence of studies on dying and feelings towards the dying process particularly fear of death among students in the Indonesian context. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study explored the levels of fear of death and the differences between students enrolled sophomore academic program and those in the professional program. METHODOLOGY: This was a quantitative comparative study that utilized a cross-sectional design. Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale was adapted to measure the fear of death among the respondents by using univariate analysis. Bivariate analysis was also utilized by applying the independent T-test to determine the significance of the difference in the data results. All 50 professional students were included in the study while simple random sampling was done to select 50 students enrolled in the academic program.   RESULTS: The level of fear of death among the sophomore students was moderate to high, while those in the professional program was moderate. Furthermore, the T-test revealed a p-value of 0.010 indicating a significant difference in the level of fear of death among sophomore academic program students compared to students in the professional program. CONCLUSION: There is a significant difference in the level of fear of death between sophomore nursing students in the academic program compared to those in the professional nursing program.

Validation of the Revised Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale in a French Population

Death and dying are processes that every human being encounters in his or her lifetime and perhaps the greatest loss an individual can suffer. In this sense, fear of death is regarded as a risk and maintaining factor of psychopathology. As such, effective and efficient measurement of this construct becomes a priority. While the Revised Collett-Lester Fear Of Death Scale (CL-FODS) is a brief, commonly used assessment, such a tool is lacking in French clinical practice. The present study aimed to adapt the revised CL-FODS in a general French sample and to determine its psychometric properties, namely its factorial structure, concurrent and convergent validity, and internal consistency. A sample of 590 participants responded to the French revised CL-FODS, as well as three instruments assessing death anxiety (DAS), neuroticism and spirituality (FACIT-Sp), to examine the internal consistency, validity and factorial structure of the scale. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor model: (1) One’s Own Death,” (2) The Death of Others, (3) The Dying of Others, and (4) One’s Own Dying. Five items did not load on these four factors, suggesting that the revised CL-FODS might require further psychometric refinement. The revised CL-FODS showed good internal consistency. The scale was found to be significantly associated with the Death Anxiety Scale. When the appropriate psychometric characteristics are taken into account, this scale can be used in clinical and research settings to assess death concerns in French society.

Attitudes of health science students towards death in Spain

BACKGROUND

Health science students in Spain should be trained to manage the process of death and dying.

AIM

To compare the perceptions, attitudes and fears of death from a sample of these students.

METHODS

This descriptive, cross-sectional and multi-centre study comprised 411 students studying degrees in medicine, nursing and physiotherapy. The variables used were the hospice-related death self-efficacy scale by Robbins and the Collet-Lester fear of death scale.

FINDINGS

The total score obtained on the death self-efficacy scale was 74.43/110, which is considered moderate to high self-efficacy for facing death. Facing the death of a friend at a young age obtained the lowest score (3.85±2.809). Regarding the Collet-Lester scale, the lowest score was 'fear of one's own death' (3.58±0.983) with a value of p=0.81.

CONCLUSION

The health science students who participated in this study displayed high levels of fear and anxiety towards death.

Personal and Emotional Factors of Nursing Professionals Related to Coping with End-of-Life Care: A Cross-Sectional Study

The death of a patient can be a traumatic event, causing emotional and psychological distress in professional nurses and potentially hampering the quality of their care. Optimal self-perceived coping with death involves valuing these difficult situations as challenges and actively coping with work-related stress during the care of the dying patient. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess Spanish nurses’ self-perceived competence with patient death and investigate its relationship with their personality traits, anxiety and fear of death. A cross-sectional study based on a web-based survey was conducted. A sample of 534 Spanish nurses provided socio-demographic information and answered validated questionnaires. Most participants perceived their coping with death as optimal. Men and nurses older than 31 years coped better with death. Professionals with an optimal self-perception showed significantly lower scores on all personality dimensions evaluated, while a higher level of the anxiety trait predicted worse coping. Although with medium explanatory power, psychoticism, anxiety, and fear of death were the main predictors of the development of optimal coping with death among Spanish nurses. These characteristics together with information from the work environment and evidence-based practice could help to develop better routines and contexts of care for nurses working in end-of-life care.

Fear of Loneliness: Development and Validation of a Brief Scale

This research aims to develop and validate a Spanish version of The Brief Scale of Fear of Loneliness (BSFL). Participants were 1385 youth and adults, 347 from a pilot sample and 1032 from the final version, whose ages were in the range of 18 to 40 years. Two instruments, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, in their Peruvian versions, were used to support the relationship with other variables. Results show that the BSFL should be interpreted as a one-dimensional measure, the same ones that were examined at the exploratory level and verified at the confirmatory moment (RMSEA < 0.08, CFI > 0.95), and its reliability is considered good (ω > 0.88). In addition, the quality of the item content was reviewed by six expert judges for relevance and validity, with Aiken’s V being greater than 0.70. It is concluded that the BSFL is a valid and precise short instrument that can be used in future research studies.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a new tool for measuring the attitudes of patients with progressive neurological diseases to ethical aspects of end-of-life care

BACKGROUND

Knowing the opinions of patients with Progressive Neurological Diseases (PNDs) and their family members on end-of-life care can help initiate communication and the drawing up of a care plan. The aim of this paper is to describe the creation and psychometric properties of the newly developed APND-EoLC questionnaire (the Attitudes of Patients with Progressive Neurological Disease to End of Life Care questionnaire).

METHODS

Following focus group discussion, four main areas of interest were identified: patients' and family members' attitudes towards end-of-life care, factors influencing decisions about treatment to prolong patients' life, concerns and fears regarding dying, and opinions on the system of care. The created questions were divided into domains based on factor analysis and psychometric properties were evaluated by sample of 209 patients with PND and 118 their family members.

RESULTS

The final version of the scale contains a total of 28 questions divided into six domains (end-of-life control, keeping patients alive, trust in doctors/treatment, trust in social support, sense of suffering, and dependence/loss of control) and five individual questions determining views of the care system with specified response options. Construct validity was verified by confirmatory factor analysis for each evaluated area individually. Appropriate psychometric properties were identified in the questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

The APND-EoLC questionnaire can be recommended for use in both research and clinical practice.

Validación de la Escala de Miedo a la Muerte de Collett – Lester en estudiantes universitarios de enfermería de México

Resumen. La Escala original de Miedo a la Muerte de Collett-Lester (EMMCL), traducida al español, no ha sido validada en población mexicana. Dado que la muerte para los mexicanos tiene una perspectiva diferente a la de individuos de otras culturas, es importante indagar sobre su validación. El objetivo de este artículo es determinar la validez de la EMMCL en población universitaria mexicana. Metodología. Diseño psicométrico y transversal, muestreo aleatorio simple. Se analizaron las respuestas de 368 estudiantes de enfermería. Resultados. Predominó el género femenino (90.2%), edad igual a 21.0±3. La EMMCL obtuvo una confiabilidad de 0.95. Las puntuaciones en las dimensiones de la muerte propia, en comparación con la muerte de otros, es menor (=2.8±0.56 vs =3.5±0.53). El proceso de la muerte propia, en comparación con el de otros, no es diferente ( =3.2± 0.46 vs =3.2±0.34). El análisis factorial con el método de rotación varimax apoyó la validez de contenido de la escala original, a pesar de que los reactivos de dos dimensiones se reagruparon sin perder ninguno de sus elementos. Conclusiones. La versión en español de la EMMCL es válida y confiable en estudiantes universitarios mexicanos; Sin embargo, se necesita llevar a cabo réplicas en otros contextos socioculturales del territorio mexicano.

Virtual mortality and near-death experience after a prolonged exposure in a shared virtual reality may lead to positive life-attitude changes

Mortality is an obvious if uncomfortable part of the human condition, yet it is impossible to study its impact on anyone who experiences it. Reports of phenomena associated with death such as out-of-the-body (OBE) and near death experiences (NDE) can only be studied post-hoc, since it is impossible to design a scientific study where an experimental group experiences death (and returns) and a control group does not. Yet NDEs seem to have a profound influence on the subsequent lives of people and are therefore worthy of study. Terror Management Theory, which argues that death anxiety contributes to in-group solidarity and hostility to out-groups, relies on studies that manipulate opinions and cannot be based on experiential evidence. Here we introduce a potential methodology that uses immersive virtual reality (VR) for the study of mortality and NDEs. Participants are embodied in alternate bodies in a beautiful island along with two companions. They explore the island and carry out tasks together. The mechanism of embodiment produces strong illusions of ownership over their life-sized virtual bodies. Over time each participant witnesses the death of the two companions and then her own death-which includes the reported features of an NDE (OBE, life review, the tunnel leading to white light) followed by a period of observation of the continuing activities in the virtual world on an external screen. Fifteen female participants experienced 6 sessions in the island, each starting as a child and gradually maturing, and eventually ageing and dying. Sixteen control subjects formed a waiting group. We introduce this as a methodology for the study of these issues, and present promising results, suggesting that those who experienced the island report life attitude changes, becoming more concerned with others and more interested in global rather than material issues compared to the control group. The results are based on a small sample size, and should be considered as indicative of the possibilities of this new methodology as a way forward for future studies in this field.

Experimental classroom games: a didactic tool in palliative care

Objective To evaluate the effect of a games-based intervention on palliative care nursing students' scores on the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale. The challenge was to innovate and integrate grief-related theory and experiences into the classroom. Method Quasi-experimental study. Before and after the games-based intervention, 101 and 111 students completed the questionnaires, respectively. The intervention was performed in the context of a palliative care class taught during the first semester of the third year of the nursing programme. Results The students obtained moderate mean scores on the variable fear of death (between 14 and 19) at both time points (pre- and post-intervention). Both men and women indicated a heightened sense of fear post-intervention and a decrease in self-perceived emotional preparedness, which support the value of the games for exposing the student to situations that closely approximated reality. Conclusion The use of games as a didactic tool in the classroom context helped the students recognize the fear generated by proximity to death in the patient and family and in the student him- or herself.

Measuring attitudes towards the dying process: A systematic review of tools

BACKGROUND

At the end of life, anxious attitudes concerning the dying process are common in patients in Palliative Care. Measurement tools can identify vulnerabilities, resources and the need for subsequent treatment to relieve suffering and support well-being.

AIM

To systematically review available tools measuring attitudes towards dying, their operationalization, the method of measurement and the methodological quality including generalizability to different contexts.

DESIGN

Systematic review according to the PRISMA Statement. Methodological quality of tools assessed by standardized review criteria.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PsyndexTests and the Health and Psychosocial Instruments were searched from their inception to April 2017.

RESULTS

A total of 94 identified studies reported the development and/or validation of 44 tools. Of these, 37 were questionnaires and 7 alternative measurement methods (e.g. projective measures). In 34 of 37 questionnaires, the emotional evaluation (e.g. anxiety) towards dying is measured. Dying is operationalized in general items ( n = 20), in several specific aspects of dying ( n = 34) and as dying of others ( n = 14). Methodological quality of tools was reported inconsistently. Nine tools reported good internal consistency. Of 37 tools, 4 were validated in a clinical sample (e.g. terminal cancer; Huntington disease), indicating questionable generalizability to clinical contexts for most tools.

CONCLUSION

Many tools exist to measure attitudes towards the dying process using different endpoints. This overview can serve as decision framework on which tool to apply in which contexts. For clinical application, only few tools were available. Further validation of existing tools and potential alternative methods in various populations is needed.

Czech Adaption of the Collett–Lester Fear of Death Scale in a Sample of Nursing Students

The use of multidimensional scales for assessing fear of death among nursing students can assist in teaching and evaluating the effectiveness of targeted training in thanatology. Research has demonstrated good psychometric characteristics of the Czech version of the Collett–Lester Fear of Death Scale (CL-FODS). It was applied to nursing students ( N = 256), who reported as their biggest fear the process of their own dying. Greater fear of death and dying was found in students who had no experience of the dying and death of a loved one. Good internal consistency was achieved for the four subscales of the Czech CL-FODS.

A comparison of the level of fear of death among students and nursing professionals in Mexico

OBJECTIVE

to compare the level of fear of death in nursing students and professionals.

METHOD

this was a comparative-transversal study examining 643 nursing students and professionals from a third-level institution. A random sampling method was employed, and the sample size was calculated by power analysis. The study was developed during three stages: the first stage consisted of the application of a pilot test, the second stage involved the recruitment of the participants, and the third stage measured the participants' responses on the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale.

RESULTS

the average fear of death was moderate-high (-X=3.19±0.55), and the highest score was observed for the fear of the death of others (-X=3.52±0.20). Significant differences in the perceptions of fear of death were observed among the students of the first three years (p<.05). However, no significant differences were observed among the first- and fourth-year students and professionals (p>.05).

CONCLUSIONS

it is possible that first-year students exhibit a reduced fear of death because they have not had the experience of hospital practice. Students in their second and third year may have a greater fear of death because they have cared for terminal patients. However, it appears that greater confidence is acquired over time, and thus fourth-year students and professionals exhibit less fear of death than second- and third-year students (p<.05).

Spanish Adaptation of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD-S) in Nursing Undergraduates

The Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD) is designed to assess the attitudes of professionals and trainees toward caring for the dying patient and their family members. In this study the main aim is to adapt the FATCOD to a Spanish context (FATCOD-S). In addition, the relations between FATCOD-S, sociodemographic variables, emotional intelligence, and death attitudes have been analyzed. A sample of 669 Spanish nursing students from four Universities responded to a questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) concludes a structure composed of two significant factors. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out. The CFA supported a two-factor model. Students with past experience of death and those who had received training in palliative care scored significantly higher on both factors of the FATCOD-S ( p < 0.01). The FATCOD-S is an effective and valid tool for measuring the attitudes of Spanish nursing students toward caring for patients at the end of life.

A Virtual Out-of-Body Experience Reduces Fear of Death

Immersive virtual reality can be used to visually substitute a person’s real body by a life-sized virtual body (VB) that is seen from first person perspective. Using real-time motion capture the VB can be programmed to move synchronously with the real body (visuomotor synchrony), and also virtual objects seen to strike the VB can be felt through corresponding vibrotactile stimulation on the actual body (visuotactile synchrony). This setup typically gives rise to a strong perceptual illusion of ownership over the VB. When the viewpoint is lifted up and out of the VB so that it is seen below this may result in an out-of-body experience (OBE). In a two-factor between-groups experiment with 16 female participants per group we tested how fear of death might be influenced by two different methods for producing an OBE. In an initial embodiment phase where both groups experienced the same multisensory stimuli there was a strong feeling of body ownership. Then the viewpoint was lifted up and behind the VB. In the experimental group once the viewpoint was out of the VB there was no further connection with it (no visuomotor or visuotactile synchrony). In a control condition, although the viewpoint was in the identical place as in the experimental group, visuomotor and visuotactile synchrony continued. While both groups reported high scores on a question about their OBE illusion, the experimental group had a greater feeling of disownership towards the VB below compared to the control group, in line with previous findings. Fear of death in the experimental group was found to be lower than in the control group. This is in line with previous reports that naturally occurring OBEs are often associated with enhanced belief in life after death.

The Chinese Version of the Multidimensional Orientation toward Dying and Death Inventory (Moddi-F/Chin): An Introduction

Preliminary data on the test criteria of the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Orientation Toward Dying and Death Inventory (MODDI-F/chin) are presented. Data from a sample of Hong Kong college students ( N = 256) revealed internal consistencies of the eight subtests between .68 and .91, on the whole favorable shape of frequency distributions, and evidence of construct as well as differential validity of the instrument. The use of the full set of 47 items is recommended for the time being.

Death Attitudes and Emotional Intelligence in Nursing Students

The aims of this study were to analyze the relationships between death attitudes and perceived emotional intelligence in a sample of nursing students, and to determine whether there are differences between different academic years with regard to both emotional intelligence and death attitudes. The participants were 243 nursing students. They all responded voluntarily and anonymously to a questionnaire that assessed the following constructs: Fear of death, Death anxiety, Death depression, Death obsession, and Emotional intelligence (Attention, Clarity, and Mood Repair). Students' scores on Fear of Death of Others subscale ( p < .05) decreased significantly across the 3 years of the nursing degree program and increased significantly on emotional Clarity ( p < .05), a dimension of emotional intelligence. The multiple linear regression analyses confirmed the predictive value of Attention, Clarity, and Mood Repair regarding levels of Fear of Death of Others. The importance of including emotional skills training and death-education programs as part of professional nursing curricula are discussed.

O. Miedo a la muerte y su relación con la inteligencia emocional de estudiantes de enfermería de Concepción

OBJETIVO: Conocer el miedo a la muerte y su relación con la inteligencia emocional y otras variables en estudiantes de enfermería de los últimos años de estudio. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo y correlacional. Los estudiantes (n=188) respondieron a un cuestionario sobre: características socioculturales; Escalas de Miedo a la Muerte y de Inteligencia Emocional. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvo un promedio medio-alto en miedo a la muerte (3,35). La percepción emocional se correlacionó positivamente con miedo a la muerte, mientras que la comprensión y la regulación emocional se correlacionaron negativamente con el miedo a la muerte. Las puntuaciones más altas de miedo a la muerte se asociaron con el sexo femenino, con los niveles inferiores de los cursos y con la percepción de menor preparación académica en el tema. CONCLUSIONES: Los niveles altos de inteligencia emocional, se asociaron con menos miedo a la muerte, lo que evidencia la necesidad de desarrollar en los estudiantes habilidades emocionales frente a situaciones trascendentales y desconocidas, como son la muerte y el proceso de morir.

Validation of Collett-Lester's Fear of Death Scale in a sample of nursing students

This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Collett-Lester's Fear of Death Scale. A sample of 349 nursing students answered Fear of Death and Attitude toward death scales. Content validity was checked by expert review; reliability was proven using Cronbach's alpha; statistical analysis of the items, correlation between items and construct validity were checked by the correlation of the Scale with the Attitude toward death Scale. The multidimensionality of the scale was reviewed through factor analysis with varimax rotation. The Fear of Death Scale possesses good internal consistency and construct validity, confirmed by the significant correlation with the Attitude toward death Scale. Factor analysis partially supports content validity of the subscale items, but presented a modified multidimensional structure that points towards the reconceptualization of the subscales in this sample.

Separation from loved ones in the fear of death

Individuals' death anxiety or fear of death has been extensively investigated, and there are numerous conceptualizations used in the literature, including a distinction between the dimensions of death and dying of self and death and dying of others. This article addresses a gap in the literature and re-examines the relationship between these two dimensions, which are assumed to be positively, linearly related. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this study indicates that regardless of the degree to which individuals fear their own death, most individuals fear the death and dying of others. Specifically, the leaving, or loss of loved ones, was a central theme in people's fear of death, and this is discussed in relation to current trends in the literature.

The Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety: Some Results from East and West

The twofold objectives of the present study were (a) to examine sex-related differences on the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) in seven Arabic and Western countries, and (b) to compare the mean ASDA scores among Arabic samples (Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Syria) with Western samples (Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States). A total sample of 2,978 volunteer undergraduates participated in this study. They resided in their countries of origin and responded to the scale in their respective native-speaking languages. Sex-related differences on the ASDA were statistically significant in all countries (except the United Kingdom), with women having higher mean scores than their male peers. It was found that all the Arab samples, except the Lebanese men, had significantly higher mean ASDA scores than their Western counterparts. These differences might be explained either in the light of higher emotionally responsiveness of the Arab samples, differences in individualism and collectivism and in secularism in the countries, and the lower per capita income in the Arab countries except in Kuwait.