Thesis
Beyond death anxiety: an exploratory structural equation model of the death distress scale and its relationship with panic disorder
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2017
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102879
Abstract
Most death anxiety scales were originally designed to measure a unidimensional construct, but many of these scales have actually been found to evaluate multiple dimensions. Thus, utilizing total scores as an index of death anxiety intensity appears to often result in an incomplete or misleading picture. As a result, some researchers have advocated for the development of multidimensional scales, and measuring multifaceted reactions to death is also thought to promote the clinical utility of assessment tools in this area. The current study investigated the psychometric properties of a new and explicitly multidimensional measure: the Death Distress Scale (DDS; Abdel-Khalek, 2011). Results of an exploratory structural equation model in a sample of U.S. college students (N = 491) largely replicated the tripartite structure reported in a previous study (i.e., Death Obsession, Death Anxiety, and Death Depression). However, contrary to previous research findings, no evidence was found for a higher-order factor. Secondary analyses evaluated whether these lower-order factors mediated the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and panic disorder severity and if the factors could predict participants who met a clinical threshold for panic disorder (n = 69). Only the Death Depression subscale exhibited significant relationships to panic across these analyses. The psychometric properties of the new measure and its implications for future research into adult psychopathology are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- Beyond death anxiety
- Creators
- Jacob Andrew Zimmerman
- Contributors
- G. Leonard Burns (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525097901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis