Testing terror management theory in advanced cancer

Bibliographic Data

ID12095656
AuthorsElsy Willis (University Health Network), Kenneth Mah (0000-0001-8920-5253, University Health Network, corresponding author), Gilla K Shapiro (0000-0002-2214-8263, University Health Network), Sarah Hales (0000-0001-6404-8124, University Health Network), Madeline Li (0000-0002-3977-7437, University Health Network), Ekaterina An (0000-0002-2625-7694, University Health Network), Camilla Zimmermann (0000-0003-4889-0244, University Health Network), Katharina Schultebraucks (0000-0001-5085-8249, Columbia University Irving Medical Center), Gary Rodin (0000-0002-6626-6974, University Health Network)
Year2021
Volume47
Issue1
Pages65-74
Publication date2021-12-27
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDeath Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0748-1187 • E-ISSN: 1091-7683
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07481187.2021.2019145
PMID34957923
OpenAlexW4200098437
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited32

Death anxiety is common in advanced cancer due to heightened mortality salience. We tested terror management theory (TMT) in this population ( N = 305) by evaluating the buffering effect of the distal defenses (attachment security, meaning, self-esteem) on the impact of physical impairment (a proxy for mortality salience) on death anxiety. Patients with greater numbers of strong distal defenses reported lower death anxiety than those with no strong defenses or one strong defense. These findings support the relevance of TMT in individuals facing the actual threat of death and the need for further TMT research in such populations

Anxiety · Cognitive psychology · Death anxiety · Environmental health · Mortality salience · Population · Proxy (statistics · Psychiatry · Salience (neuroscience · Terror management theory · Clinical Psychology · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Psychology · Social Psychology

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