Death anxiety and addiction : a comparative study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine whether adults with addictions have higher levels of death anxiety than adults without addictions; to examine whether females have higher levels of death anxiety than males; and to examine whether older adults have higher levels of death anxiety than younger adults. The data was obtained using Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, a 15 item inventory which measures levels of death anxiety and which has been used in 60% of all research on death anxiety. The participants involved in the study were 46 adults from Cuan Mhuire addiction facility, Athy, Co. Kildare, and 46 adults from Dublin Business School. Booklets containing Templer's DAS were given to all participants to obtain levels of death anxiety, age and gender. This is a correlational, cross-sectional, prospective study. A Univariate Analysis of Variance concluded that addicts have significantly higher levels of death anxiety than males, however, there were no significant differences between males and females, or between older and younger adults in relation to death anxiety.