What do teachers think of death education?

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive data of the DEAS-T (N = 683).

Item	Mean	Standard deviation	Asymmetry	Kurtosis
1. As teachers we should have training for dealing with the topic of death with our students.	4.39	.99	−1.79	2.75
2. I believe that training in death education would equip me to know how to intervene as a tutor in situations of bereavement.	4.43	.89	−1.84	3.38
3. I believe that training in death education would provide me with useful resources for working on death in the classroom.	4.23	1.00	−1.52	1.93
4. It is appropriate to deal with the topic of death in primary education.	4.00	1.10	−.97	.13
5. It is appropriate to deal with the topic of death in early childhood education (ages 0–3).	2.97	1.38	.02	−1.19
6. It is appropriate to deal with the topic of death in early childhood education (ages 3–6).	3.24	1.36	−.20	−1.19
7. Knowing that one day I will die influences how I value my daily life.	4.16	1.10	−1.31	1.03
8. Knowing that one die I will die can help me direct my life project better.	4.02	1.13	−1.10	.47
9. Knowing that one die I will die can help me become a better educator.	3.65	1.24	−.63	.19

Table 2. Exploratory factor analysis of the DEAS-T (N = 683).

Item	Factor 1	Factor 2	Factor 3
1	.90
2	.94
3	.88
4		.69
5		.98
6		.91
7			.93
8			.91
9			.86

Table 3. Items discarded by the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Discarded item	Mean (SD)
- The inclusion of death in education would contribute to a more mature society.	4.19 (.99)
- Knowing that life has a beginning and an end could improve education.	4.02 (1.05)
- The inclusion of death in education would help students to be happier people.	3.80 (1.04)
- It is suitable to deal with the topic of death in training for families expecting the birth of a child.	3.37 (1.27)
- It is suitable to deal with the topic of death in compulsory secondary education (ages 12–16).	4.41 (.89)
- Death should be included in the contents of the different subjects.	3.41 (1.30)
- Death should be included in the tutorial action plan.	3.91 (1.22)
- Having experienced the death of a loved one helps to see death as part of life.	4.24 (.96)
- I believe that I should liaise with the family of student who has lost a loved one.	4.40 (.90)
- A professional educator should know how the idea of death changes among pupils according to their age and circumstances.	4.34 (.89)
- It is suitable to deal with death in sixth form (ages 16–18).	4.45 (.90)
- It is better to allow children and adolescents to speak freely about death when they need to.	4.52 (.75)
- Children and adolescents should have the option of taking leave of a loved one who is in a terminal condition.	4.13 (.99)
- Having a range of teaching resources would help to normalize death in education.	4.18 (.98)

Figure 1. Relationship of factor 3 results with the variable “age.”

Table 4. Results of the DEQ-T (N = 683).

Item	Results
1. Do you know if a pupil of yours has experienced the loss of a loved one in the last 5 years?	Yes. 70.4%
	No. 12.2%
	I don’t know. 17.4%
2. When a pupil or group of pupils at your school has suffered the loss of a loved one, what action was taken?**	I don’t know what action was taken. 18.7%
	A tragic circumstance has never occurred to any pupil or group of pupils. 14.6%
	No action was taken, or we acted as if nothing had happened. 7.2%
	The tutor was called in. 7%
	The counselor and tutor were called in. 6.3%
	The counselor was called in. 6%
	We acted according to the schools’ planned procedure. 3.1%
	A non-religious rite or ceremony was performed. 2.2%
	Flowers were sent to the family. 1.9%
	An area in the school or classroom was set aside in remembrance. 1.6%
	Prayers were said and/or a religious ceremony was performed. 1.6%
	Others*
3. As teachers we should deal with the topic of death when our students lose a loved one:	Through a non-religious education approach. 58.1%
	From the standpoint of the student’s religious beliefs, if any. 21.7%
	From the standpoint of the religious beliefs of the student’s family, if any. 11.3%
	We should deal with the topic. 3.7%
	From the standpoint of the school’s religious beliefs, if any. 2.8%
	From the standpoint of my own religious beliefs (the teacher’s), if any. 2.5%
4. Do you feel capable of educationally guiding a student or group of students who have lost a loved one?	Yes. 61.5%
	No. 38.5%
5. Would you be able to identify when the tutor’s guidance is insufficient and, therefore, a specialist should be called in (in difficult or badly developing bereavements)?	Yes. 48.9%
	No. 51.1%
6. Do you feel able to respond educationally to your students when they make comments and reflections on or ask questions about death?	Yes. 73.1%
	No. 26.9%
7. Do you feel able to include death in your teaching, like any other topic in the curriculum?	Yes. 56.2%
	No. 43.8%
8. Do you feel able to reflect on your own death?	Yes. 80.7%
	No. 19.3%
9. Have you shared any pedagogical concerns about death with your fellow teachers?	Yes. 34.6%
	No. 65.4%
10. Have you received any training in death education?	Yes. 14.8%
	No. 85.2%
11. Is death a topic that is intentionally included in your school’s educational project?	Yes. 2.2%
	No. 81.1%
	I don’t know. 16.7%
12. Does your school have any procedure for dealing with a death affecting a student?	Yes. 7.8%
	No. 52.3%
	It is under development. 2.5%
	I don’t know. 37.5%
13. Do you believe that death is a taboo topic in our society?	Yes. 80.1%
	No. 19.9%

Note. *Minority responses with a result lower than 1.5% were grouped under “Others.” **Multiple response option.