Uncertainty in Faith, Fear of Death? Transitions in Religious Doubt and Death Anxiety in Later Life
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13628274 |
|---|---|
| Authors | L Upenieks (0000-0002-1200-2471, Baylor University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 87 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 814-837 |
| Publication date | 2021-07-05 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00302228211029475 |
| PMID | 34225499 |
| OpenAlex | W3183053114 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 13 |
| References cited | 52 |
While religiosity is usually associated with lower death anxiety, holding doubts about one's faith are associated with higher death anxiety. Using longitudinal data from the Religion, Aging, and Health Study (2001-2004), this study examines within-individual changes in religious doubt and death anxiety. Results from lagged dependent variable models suggest that compared to older adults who did not experience any doubt about their faith, those holding consistently high doubt or increasing or decreasing doubt reported greater death anxiety. Lingering religious doubt was associated with higher death anxiety among weekly religious attenders. Taken together, our findings suggest that being more assured in one's faith and spiritual understanding may lead to a more peaceful experience when confronting thoughts about one's own mortality, especially for older adults holding a stronger religious identity. We situate our findings within the literature on the "dark side" of religion and well-being in later life
Afterlife · Anxiety · Death anxiety · Faith · Fear of death · Psychiatry · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Religious life · Theology · Clinical Psychology · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Religious studies · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 13 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3,25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 12 |