Coping With Imminent Death: Thematic Content Analysis on Narratives by Japanese Soldiers in World War II

Abstract

Coping affects somatic and psychological outcomes. This article explores narratives in a book, Kamikaze Diaries: Reflections of Japanese Student Soldiers, which report on the ways of coping used by each kamikaze participant before and during military service. The purpose of this study is to observe the possibility of a trend in coping strategies and consider how these trends inform us about other populations facing imminent death. This study analyzed data and extracted meaning from the narratives in the book (thematic content analysis). Within the thematic content analysis, the Ways of Coping scale was used, which describes the coping strategies people use when facing problems. The most frequently used coping strategies before they entered the military were “Accept Responsibility,” “Endurance/Obedience/Effort,” and “Self-Control,” while once in the military, they were “Accept Responsibility” and “Endurance/Obedience/Effort.” All the coping strategies used by kamikaze pilots appeared to focus on the passive self, which may be the type of coping in other populations facing death.