Purpose: The aim of this study is “to find out the relationships between death anxiety with dispositional symptoms and socio-demographic variables” of individuals from different religions.
Method: The sample of this study consists of 240 people (152 men and 88 women) who believe in Muslim, Yezidi and Syrian religions. The Thorson- Powell Death Anxiety Scale has been administrated to measure the individuals’ death anxieties and the SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist has also been utilized to find out the dispositional symptoms. Furthermore, the researchers have also prepared a questionnaire for the sample group to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of the indivuduals.
Results: Those who experience the most intensive death anxiety are Yezidi, Muslim and Syrian religions believers respectively. The highest correlation between death anxiety and dispositional symptoms is between death anxiety and interpersonal sensitivity. Paranoia is more common among Muslim individuals, whereas, it has been observed that obsessive thoughts are more dominant among Yezidi individuals and interpersonal sensitivity is more dominant among Syrian individuals. High education level, frequent recalling of death, grave visits increase the death anxiety. Death anxiety is more common among individuals who belong to lower and higher socio-economical status. Married individuals experience a higher level of death anxiety when compared with single ones.
Discussion: Death anxiety differs from religion to religion. This situation can be articulated by differences between worldly life and practical requisitives of religion and especially by the differences in religious doctrines concerned after-worldly experiences. The excessiveness of death anxiety results in a general mood of tension and increases some certain dispositional symptoms.
Key Words: Death anxiety, Dispositional symptoms, Different religions.
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