Levels of Death Anxiety in Terminally Ill Men: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Twenty-five men, twelve of whom were healthy and thirteen of whom had been diagnosed with AIDS, were administered measures of overt (Templer DAS) and covert (Incomplete Sentence Blank) fear of death in order to ascertain levels of death anxiety in those with a terminal illness. Results suggested that while men who had AIDS and those who were healthy did not differ in Templer DAS scores, Incomplete Sentence Blank total scores were higher (p < .01) for males with AIDS. These findings are consistent with the observations of Pattison who suggested that one's life trajectory is redefined when the diagnosis of a terminal illness is made; such persons experience great anxiety, resulting in the denial of their fear in order to maintain a psychological equilibrium in the face of death.

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