“More support, less distress?”: Examining the role of social norms in alleviating practitioners’ psychological distress in the context of assisted dying services

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive statistics and inter-correlations in Study 1.

Variables	Mean (SD)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
(1) Norms (1= normative, vs −1 = non-normative)	0.0 (1.0)		.56***	−.58***	.73***
(2) Willingness to offer euthanasia services	6.3 (3.4)			−.67***	.72***
(3) Distress	3.0 (1.5)				−.61***
(4) Manipulation Check	3.2 (1.6)

* p < .05, **p < .01, ***p <.001.

Table 2. Moderated multiple regression analyses for distress in Study 1.

Variable		Distress
		𝛽	p	95% CI		sr^2
				LL	UL
Block 1
R^2ch	.51
Willingness to participate		−.50	< .001	−0.28	−0.15	.17
Norms (normative vs. non-normative)		−.30	< .001	−0.67	−0.23	.06
Block 2
R^2ch	.00
Willingness * Norms		−.01	.900	−0.07	0.07	<.01
Final R^2	.51

Figure 1. Simple slopes analysis shows there is no interaction between willingness to euthanize and norms in predicting the level of participants’ distress in Study 1.

Table 3. Descriptive statistics and inter-correlations in Study 2.

Variables	Mean (SD)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
(1) Norms (1 = normative, −1 = non-normative)	0.0 (1.0)		.45***	.07	.19**
(2) Willingness to offer euthanasia services	4.8 (1.7)			−.04	.16*
(3) Distress	4.1 (1.6)				−.02
(4) Manipulation Check	3.9 (6.6)

* p < .05, **p < .01, ***p <.001.

Table 4. Moderated multiple regression analyses for distress in Study 2.

Variable		Distress
		𝛽	p	95% CI		sr^2
				LL	UL
Block 1
R^2ch	.01
Willingness to participate		−.10	.176	−0.21	0.04	<.01
Norms (normative vs. non-normative)		.11	.104	−0.04	0.39	.01
Block 2
R^2ch	.03
Willingness * Norms		−.16	.009	−0.29	−0.04	.03
Final R^2	.04
Simple slopes analysis
- Non-normative scenario
Willingness to participate		.08	.494	−0.11	0.22	<.01
- Normative scenario
Willingness to participate		−.31	.004	−0.47	−0.09	.03

Figure 2. Simple slopes analysis of the significant interaction effect of willingness to participate in providing assisted dying services and norms on distress level in Study 2.