Are Death Anxiety and Death Depression Distinct Entities?

Abstract

Subjective distress about the matter of death is widely recognized by thanatology scholars to be multiple faceted. Although there are several instruments that assess anxiety or fear regarding death, until recently there had been no instrument reported in the literature for measuring depression pertaining to death. In the present study the fifteen-item Death Anxiety Scale and the more recently constructed seventeen-item Death Depression Scale were correlated, and their combined thirty-two items were factor analyzed. The two scales correlated .55. Factor 1 was labeled “death anxiety” and its five highest factor loadings were with Death Anxiety Scale items. Factor 2 was labeled “death depression” and its five highest factor loadings were with Death Depression Scale items. Factors 3 and 4 each had the highest factor loadings on both Death Anxiety Scale and Death Depression Scale items and were respectively called “death of others” and “brevity of life.” Factor 5 was called “meaning-lessness of life” and its highest factor loadings were with Death Depression Scale items. It was concluded that the two death attitude instruments do have discriminant validity in relationship to each other. Also, suggestions were made for the combined use of these two scales.