Potential Mediators of the Relationship Between Gender and Death Anxiety
Author(s): Elaine Eshbaugh, William Henninger
Abstract: Previous research in thanatology (the study of death and dying) has identified a gender difference in death anxiety. However, research focusing on possible variables that may mediate the relationship between gender and death anxiety is lacking. The purpose of this study was to address this literature gap by investigating gender differences in death anxiety and possible variables (i.e., mastery, depression, social desirability) that mediate the relationships between gender and self-reporting of death anxiety in college students. Students (N = 443) from a regional Midwest university were surveyed on their feeling of death anxiety, level of mastery, depressive symptoms, and social desirability. Females reported a greater level of death anxiety than males. A linear regression revealed females reported a greater level of death anxiety than males after controlling for mastery, depression, and social desirability. Implications, limitations, and future research possibilities are discussed.
Keywords: Thanatology; Gender differences; Anxiety; Regression analysis; Mental depression
Pages: 22-30
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