Four Year Cross-Sectional Comparison of Death Distress among Nursing College Students

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the change in death distress (anxiety, depression, and obsession) among four cross-sectional samples during four years of academic study in two Arabic woman nursing colleges ( N = 570). The Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety, the Death Depression Scale-Revised, and the Death Obsession Scale were administered to students in small group sessions. It was found that the only significant difference was between freshmen and sophomores on death obsession. We tend to consider this single difference as negligible. In general, the differences between the four groups on the three scales of death anxiety and death depression were not significant. That is, no significant change in mean scores on these scales had happened over time, as a result of shifting from theoretical study courses to practical ones, including dealing with the terminally-ill patients. The main aspect to elucidate this finding was the insufficient number and hours of practicum courses in general and, in particular, the experience to deal with the critical patients was not sufficient.