THE EFFECT OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE ON DEATH AND DYING ON THE DEATH ANXIETY OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN TRAINEES
Abstract
This study was designed to determine whether an instructional unit on death and dying during an emergency medical technician (EMT) course can reduce the death anxiety of EMT trainees. Subjects were students voluntarily enrolled in EMT courses in the vicinity of Lafayette, Indiana during the 1982 fall semester. Two intact classes were randomly assigned as treatment groups and two as control groups. A pre-test (3DAF, demographic questionnaire, and death knowledge inventory) was administered to all subjects at the beginning of the experiment. Then treatment group subjects received a nine-hour instructional module on death and dying developed and taught by the investigator. All subjects were then given the 3DAF only, as a post-test immediately after the module, and as a delayed-test eight weeks later. It was determined from analysis of variance and t-tests on mean 3DAF scores that while death avoidance and death fear significantly decreased in both groups, disengagement from death significantly decreased only in the control group. There were no significant differences between the groups on the pre-test, the post-test, or the delayed-test. Regression analyses showed that death education had no more influence on death anxiety than other selected variables. On the basis of the findings and within the limitations of this study, the following conclusion was drawn: Death education as part of the emergency medical technician course is no more effective in reducing death anxiety than the EMT course without death education. Further, instruction about death and dying apparently interferes with a decrease in the disengagement component of death anxiety which occurs during EMT training that does not include death education. Therefore, it may be advisable not to offer such a module during EMT preparation if the goal is to reduce death anxiety.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Health education
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