Indirect Attempt to Change Death Attitudes: Negative Findings and Associated Relationships

Abstract

Indirect treatment (concentrated relaxation and stress management) of student nurses did not produce a significant change in death anxiety or death depression or ability to communicate with the dying. Change in state anxiety and trait anxiety and general depression correlated with each other. Change in the three death attitude measures, however, neither correlated with each other nor with changes in the general anxiety and general depression measures. A viscosity model in which death anxiety and death depression are more resistant to change than general anxiety and general depression was proposed. It was contended that interventions based on Templer's (1976) two-factor theory tend to be simplistic and not implemented for the individual patient or research participant. More holistic approaches were recommended.