Changing death anxiety through death education in the public schools

Abstract

The effectiveness of a two-week study on death, loss, and grief on the death anxiety of students in grades 6–12 was explored. Several personal and situational variables were investigated to determine their relationship to levels of and change in death anxiety. A number of questions related to death and loss also were explored. A total of 217 students comprised the experimental groups and 215 the control groups. Pretest levels of death anxiety were moderately high. The students scored relatively high on three of the Collett-Lester subscales (Fear of the Death of Oneself Fear of the Death of Others, and Fear of Dying of Oneself) and low on one (Fear of Dying of Others). Though the experimental and control groups were not significantly different in death anxiety at the conclusion of the study or two months later, the experimental group showed a significant change (decrease) in death anxiety from pre- to post-test.