title: Death Anxiety Resilience; a Mixed Methods Investigation.
abstract: Research was conducted examining how death anxiety influenced PTSD and mental health among people who have experienced a life-threatening event. This study was conducted using undergraduate university students in Lithuania. The study used a mixed-method design and in phase 1, participants (N = 97) completed self-report questionnaires that gathered information on demographics, death anxiety, trauma and well-being. Data indicated a significant correlation between death anxiety and PTSD, but not psychiatric co-morbidity. Phase 2 attempted to further explore the phenomenological experience of participants with full PTSD, and 6 semi-structured interviews were conducted. IPA analysis found three major themes in response to the life-threatening event; self-efficacy, religious coping and existential attitude. Overall these coping mechanisms allowed participants to develop resilience against the effects of death anxiety and minimize its negative impact on mental health.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Science, Fusehill Campus, University of Cumbria, Carlisle, CA1 2HH, UK. mark.hoelterhoff@cumbria.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoelterhoff
authors.affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Man Cheung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Death anxiety; Existential; PTSD; Religious coping; Self-efficacy