PsychologicalReports, 1990, 67, 975-978.
O Psychological Reports 1990
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEATH ANXIETY AND SUICIDE POTENTIAL IN AN ADOLESCENT POPULATION ' JOHN
I? D'ATTILIO AND BRIAN CAMPBELL Nova UniversiQ
Summary.-The relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential was examined in a sample of 62 male and female adolescents whose ages ranged from 16 to 20 yr. A Pemon product-moment correlation between scores on Templer's Death Anxiety Scale and Cull and Gill's Suicide Probability Scale was significant for death anxiety and suicide potential, with higher death anxiety associated with greater suicidal risk. The implications of this association with respect to adolescent suicidal behaviors is discussed.
The topic of adolescent suicide has sparked interest as well as frustration on the part of those researchers, theoreticians and practitioners who have undertaken the rather hfficult task of developing an understanding of this phenomenon. In their quest to identify both the etiology of adolescent suicide and the most efficacious treatment and preventive strategies, professionals have focused upon many apparently relevant factors (Berman & Carroll, 1984; Sudak, Ford, & Rushforth, 1984; Hawton, 1986). Such factors, critically reviewed by Berman and Carroll (1984), include personality and psychopathological correlates, faulty thought processes, maladaptive behavioral tendencies, and pathological family characteristics among others. To isolate factors of predictive potential a few researchers have focused upon the possible relationship between death anxiety and suicidal behaviors and attitudes (Lester, 1967a, 1967b; Tarter, Ternpler, & Perley, 1974; Minear & Brush, 1981). I t was Lester (1967b), for example, who first examined the relationship between the fear of death and suicide potential. Lester's (1967b) expectation that "suicidal adolescents [would] have less fear of death than nonsuicidal adolescents" was confirmed in both a pilot study and follow-up investigation. Subsequent findings by other researchers have been inconsistent in terms of adding credence to the Lester (1967) findings (Tarter, et al., 1974; Minear & Brush, 1981; Goldney, 1981; Stillion, McDowell, & Sharnblin, 1984). This lack of consistency, however, is not unexpected when one considers the disparate samples evaluated and the use of different and often equivocal measures of the variables of interest. The purpose of the present investigation was to answer the question, "Is there a predictable relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential among adolescents?" Were such a relationship to be found, further 'The completion of this study was in partial Eulfiient towards the Ph.D. degree by John D'Attilio, M.A. Requests for reprints should be sent to John D'Attilio at the Department of Psychology, Attn. Nancy Bennett, Secretary, Nova University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314.
976
J. P. D'ATTILIO
&
B. CAMPBELL
investigations should assess whether death anxiety is a discriminating factor for suicidal and nonsuicidal depressed adolescents. As noted by Berman and Carroll (1984), researchers have not answered the fundamental question of what factors differentiate suicidal from nonsuicidal, depressed adolescents. The rationale behind such a quest is the notion that, since not all depressed adolescents kill themselves, there must be other discriminating factors. The present purpose was to help examine whether death anxiety has predictive value by exploring the relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential.
Subjects A sample of 62 adolescents, 26 boys and 36 girls, whose ages ranged from 16 to 20 yr., were obtained on the basis of availability for this study. Subjects were volunteers drawn from a private high school and a local community college in the south Florida area. These subjects were treated in accordance with the ethical guidelines established by The American Psychological Association (1981). Materials Death anxiety was measured using Templer's (1970) Death Anxiety Scale, a 15-item self-report scale in a true-false format, which was developed to measure four aspects of death anxiety, including the act of dying, the finality of death, corpses, and burial. This is a well established, standardized measure of death anxiety which was based upon extensive validation procedures. The scale shows adequate reliability and norms have been established for various age groups including adolescents (Templer, 1969, 1970; Templer, Franks, & Ruff, 1971; Stevens, Cooper, & Thomas, 1980). Suicide potential was assessed through the use of The Suicide Probability Scale (Cull & Gill, 1982), a 36-item self-report measure developed to assess suicidal risk of adolescents and adults (Cull & Gill, 1982). The scale is a standardized instrument which provides norms for both adolescents and adults. Indicators of reliability in addition to the established content, criterion-related and construct validity are excellent (Cull & Gill, 1982). Design and Procedure After reading and signing an informed consent form the subjects were given the Death Anxiety Scale and The Suicide Probability Scale, in that order. Instructions for both inventories were read verbatim from their authors' test instructions (Templer, 1969, 1970; Cull & Gill, 1982, p. 5). Following completion of the scales the subjects were thanked for their participation and debriefed as to the purpose of the study.
977
DEATH ANXIETY AND SUICIDE POTENTIAL
RESULTSAND DISCUSSION A Pearson product-moment correlation between the raw scores on the measures of death anxiety and suicide potential was significant and positive but small: r = .35 (p
O Psychological Reports 1990
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEATH ANXIETY AND SUICIDE POTENTIAL IN AN ADOLESCENT POPULATION ' JOHN
I? D'ATTILIO AND BRIAN CAMPBELL Nova UniversiQ
Summary.-The relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential was examined in a sample of 62 male and female adolescents whose ages ranged from 16 to 20 yr. A Pemon product-moment correlation between scores on Templer's Death Anxiety Scale and Cull and Gill's Suicide Probability Scale was significant for death anxiety and suicide potential, with higher death anxiety associated with greater suicidal risk. The implications of this association with respect to adolescent suicidal behaviors is discussed.
The topic of adolescent suicide has sparked interest as well as frustration on the part of those researchers, theoreticians and practitioners who have undertaken the rather hfficult task of developing an understanding of this phenomenon. In their quest to identify both the etiology of adolescent suicide and the most efficacious treatment and preventive strategies, professionals have focused upon many apparently relevant factors (Berman & Carroll, 1984; Sudak, Ford, & Rushforth, 1984; Hawton, 1986). Such factors, critically reviewed by Berman and Carroll (1984), include personality and psychopathological correlates, faulty thought processes, maladaptive behavioral tendencies, and pathological family characteristics among others. To isolate factors of predictive potential a few researchers have focused upon the possible relationship between death anxiety and suicidal behaviors and attitudes (Lester, 1967a, 1967b; Tarter, Ternpler, & Perley, 1974; Minear & Brush, 1981). I t was Lester (1967b), for example, who first examined the relationship between the fear of death and suicide potential. Lester's (1967b) expectation that "suicidal adolescents [would] have less fear of death than nonsuicidal adolescents" was confirmed in both a pilot study and follow-up investigation. Subsequent findings by other researchers have been inconsistent in terms of adding credence to the Lester (1967) findings (Tarter, et al., 1974; Minear & Brush, 1981; Goldney, 1981; Stillion, McDowell, & Sharnblin, 1984). This lack of consistency, however, is not unexpected when one considers the disparate samples evaluated and the use of different and often equivocal measures of the variables of interest. The purpose of the present investigation was to answer the question, "Is there a predictable relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential among adolescents?" Were such a relationship to be found, further 'The completion of this study was in partial Eulfiient towards the Ph.D. degree by John D'Attilio, M.A. Requests for reprints should be sent to John D'Attilio at the Department of Psychology, Attn. Nancy Bennett, Secretary, Nova University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314.
976
J. P. D'ATTILIO
&
B. CAMPBELL
investigations should assess whether death anxiety is a discriminating factor for suicidal and nonsuicidal depressed adolescents. As noted by Berman and Carroll (1984), researchers have not answered the fundamental question of what factors differentiate suicidal from nonsuicidal, depressed adolescents. The rationale behind such a quest is the notion that, since not all depressed adolescents kill themselves, there must be other discriminating factors. The present purpose was to help examine whether death anxiety has predictive value by exploring the relationship between death anxiety and suicide potential.
Subjects A sample of 62 adolescents, 26 boys and 36 girls, whose ages ranged from 16 to 20 yr., were obtained on the basis of availability for this study. Subjects were volunteers drawn from a private high school and a local community college in the south Florida area. These subjects were treated in accordance with the ethical guidelines established by The American Psychological Association (1981). Materials Death anxiety was measured using Templer's (1970) Death Anxiety Scale, a 15-item self-report scale in a true-false format, which was developed to measure four aspects of death anxiety, including the act of dying, the finality of death, corpses, and burial. This is a well established, standardized measure of death anxiety which was based upon extensive validation procedures. The scale shows adequate reliability and norms have been established for various age groups including adolescents (Templer, 1969, 1970; Templer, Franks, & Ruff, 1971; Stevens, Cooper, & Thomas, 1980). Suicide potential was assessed through the use of The Suicide Probability Scale (Cull & Gill, 1982), a 36-item self-report measure developed to assess suicidal risk of adolescents and adults (Cull & Gill, 1982). The scale is a standardized instrument which provides norms for both adolescents and adults. Indicators of reliability in addition to the established content, criterion-related and construct validity are excellent (Cull & Gill, 1982). Design and Procedure After reading and signing an informed consent form the subjects were given the Death Anxiety Scale and The Suicide Probability Scale, in that order. Instructions for both inventories were read verbatim from their authors' test instructions (Templer, 1969, 1970; Cull & Gill, 1982, p. 5). Following completion of the scales the subjects were thanked for their participation and debriefed as to the purpose of the study.
977
DEATH ANXIETY AND SUICIDE POTENTIAL
RESULTSAND DISCUSSION A Pearson product-moment correlation between the raw scores on the measures of death anxiety and suicide potential was significant and positive but small: r = .35 (p
