[Types of students' death attitudes majoring in human service area: q-methodological approach].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to analyze death attitudes of students majoring in the human service area, such as nursing science, education, and social welfare.


METHODS
The Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used. The 38 selected Q-statements from each of 42 subjects were classified into a shape of normal distribution using a 9 point scale. The collected data was analyzed using a QUANL PC program.


RESULTS
Four types of death attitudes for research subjects in nursing, education, and social welfare areas were identified. Type I is fatalistic admission, Type II is pursuit of existential life, Type III is uncertainty of life after death, and Type IV is separation-connection between life and death.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study indicate that different approaches of death educational programs are recommended based on the four types of death attitudes.
Jo
Kae-Hwa
KH
Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Korea. jokw@cu.ac.kr
Lee
Hyun Ji
HJ
Lee
Yun Ju
YJ
D000328:Adult; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching