Research Article
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Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 301 - 309, 31.08.2025

Abstract

This research explored the association between nursing students’ levels of death anxiety and psychological resilience.
This study has a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The research sample comprised 729 students enrolled in the nursing
department at the Faculty of Health Sciences of a university situated in Türkiye. The “Descriptive Information Form”, the “Abdel-Khalek
Death Anxiety Scale”, and the “Adult Psychological Resilience Scale” were used as data collection tools in the study.
The psychological resilience levels of the students had significant positive correlations with their age and class year. There was a negative
relationship between death anxiety and psychological resilience.
It was concluded that if the psychological resilience of nursing students increases, their anxiety about death will decrease. Nursing students
should be informed and supported by their educators about how to cope with the death anxiety they experience while working with
terminal patients in clinical internships, what methods to use, and the ways they can use to strengthen their coping with the condition of
patients with death anxiety.

References

  • Arslan, G. (2015). Psychometric properties of child and youth resilience measure (CYRM-12): The study of reliability and validity. Ege Journal of Education. 16(1), 1-12. doi:10.12984/ eed.23397
  • Aydoğan, A. S., Gülseren. Ş., Sarıkaya. Ö. Ö., Özen, Ç. (2015). Reliability and validity of the turkish version of abdelkhalek’s death anxiety scale among college students. Arch Neuropsychiatr. 52, 371-375. doi:10.5152/npa.2015.8820
  • Ballesteros, M., Centeno, C., Arantzamendi, M. (2014). A qualitative exploratory study of nursing students assessment of the contribution of pallative care learning. Nurse Education Today. 34(6), e1–e6. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2013.12.010
  • Birol, L. (2004). Hemşirelik süreci. 5. Baskı. Etki Matbaacılık Yayıncılık. İzmir.
  • Cheng, L., Guo, X., Liu, H., Chen, Q., Cui, R. (2021). Hope, death anxiety and simplified coping style scores of nursing students during the outbreak of COVID-19: A cross-sectional study. Medicine. 100(34), e27016. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000027016
  • Cimete, G. (2002). Yaşam sonu bakım: Ölümcül hastalarda bütüncü yaklaşım. 1. Baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevi.
  • Dong, F., Zheng, R., Chen, X., Wang, Y., Zhou, H., Sun, R. (2016). Caring for dying cancer patients in the Chinese cultural context: A qualitative study from the perspectives of physicians and nurses. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 21, 189-196. doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2015.10.003
  • Edo-Gual, M., Tomás-Sábado, J., Gómez-Benito, J., Monforte- Royo, C., Aradilla-Herrero, A. (2018). Spanish adaptation of the frommelt attitude toward care of the dying scale (FATCOD-S) in nursing undergraduates. OMEGA-Journal of death and dying. 78(2), 120-142. doi:10.1177/00302228166882
  • Güngörmüş, K., Okanlı, A., Kocabeyoğlu, T. (2015). Factors influencing resilience in nursing students. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 6(1), 9-14. doi:10.5505/phd.2015.80299
  • Hasheesh, M.O.A., Abo Zeid, S.A.S., El-Said, S.G., Alhujaili, A.D. (2013). Nurses’ characteristics and their attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients in a public hospital in Jordan. Health Science Journal. 7(4), 384-394.
  • Ho, C.S., Chee, C.Y., Ho, R.C. (2020). Mental health strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19 beyond paranoia and panic. Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. 49(3), 155- 160. doi:10.47102/annalsacadmedsg.202043
  • İnci, F., Öz, F. (2009). Effects of death education on nurses’ death anxiety. depression regarding death. and attitudes towards the dying patient. Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi. 10, 253-260.
  • Jafari, M., Rafiei, H., Nassehi, A., Soleimani, F., Arab, M., Noormohammadi, M.R. (2015). Caring for dying patients: attitude of nursing students and effects of education. Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 21(2), 192. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.156497
  • Kandemir, F. (2020). An empirical research on the relationship of Covid-19 pandemic generation’s religiosity and death anxiety in the context of some demographic variables. Tokat Journal of Ilmiyat. 8(1), 99-129. doi:10.5281/zenodo.3876200
  • Kaplan Serin, E., Doğan, R. (2023). The relationship between anxiety and hopelessness levels among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying. 87(3), 793-813. doi:10.1177/00302228211029144
  • Karadeniz, E. Y., Özdemir, A., Serin, E. K. (2023). The relationship between the fear of Covid-19, death anxiety and psychological resilience of nursing students during the pandemic process. Mersin University Journal of Health Sciences. 16(2), 259-269.
  • Karakuş, G., Öztürk, Z., Tamam, L. (2012). Death and Death Anxiety. Archives Medical Review Journal. 2(1), 42-79.
  • Li, S., Wang, Y., Xue, J., Zhao, N., Zhu, T. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 Epidemic Declaration on Psychological Consequences: A Study on Active Weibo Users. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(6), 2032. doi:10.3390/ijerph17062032
  • Menekli, T., Fadıloğlu, Ç. (2014). Examination Perception Death and Affecting Factors of Nursing. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Science. 17(4), 222-229. doi:10.17049/ahsbd.40758
  • Mok, E., Chiu, P.C. (2004). Nurse-patient relationships in palliative care. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 48(5), 475-483. Mondragón-Sánchez, E. J., Cordero, E. A. T., Espinoza, M. D. L. M.,
  • Landeros-Olvera, E. A. (2015). Comparación del nivel de miedo a la muerte entre estudiantes y profesionales de enfermería en México. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 23, 323-328.
  • Özer, Z., Yıldırım, D., Bölüktaş, R. P. (2015). Attitudes of Nursing Students Towards Death. Journal of Economics and Social Research. 2(4), 1-13.
  • Qiu, J., Shen, B., Zhao, M., Wang, Z., Xie, B., Xu, Y. (2020). A nationwide survey of psychological distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: Implications and policy recommendations. Gen Psychiatr. 33(2), e100213. doi:10.1136/ gpsych-2020-100213.
  • Selçuk, K. T., Avcı, D. (2015). Sağlık Yüksek Okulu Öğrencilerinin Ölüme Karşı Tutumları ve İlişkili Etmenler. Literatür Sempozyum Psikiyatri/Nöroloji/Davranış Bilimleri Dergisi. 26-32.
  • Sharour, L. A., Suleiman, K., Yehya, D., Al-Kaladeh, M., Malak, M., Subih, K. M., Salameh, A. B. (2017). Nurses’ students’ attitudes toward death and caring for dying cancer patients during their placement. Euromediterranean Biomedical Journal. 12(40), 189-193. doi:10.3269/1970-5492.2017.12.40
  • Smith-Han, K., Martyn, H., Barrett, A., Nicholson, H. (2016). “That’s not what you expect to do as a doctor. you know. you don’t expect your patients to die.” Death as a learning experience for undergraduate medical students. BMC Medical Education. 16, 1-8. doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0631-3
  • Şahin, G., Buzlu, S. (2017). The mediating role of perceived stress on relationship of resilience with self efficacy social support and the effective coping skills in nursing students. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Science. 20, 122-136.
  • Şahin, M., Demirkıran, F., Adana, F. (2016). Nursing students’ death anxiety. Influencing factors and request of caring for dying people. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 7(3),135-141. doi:10.5505/phd.2016.66588
  • Yakar, B., Batbaş, C.S., Pirinçci, E. (2021). Palliative Care and Hospice. Journal of Continuing Medical Education. 30(2), 136- 43. doi:10.17942/sted.625696

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinde Ölüm Anksiyetesi ve Psikolojik Dayanıklılık: Kesitsel ve Korelasyonel Bir Çalışma

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 301 - 309, 31.08.2025

Abstract

Bu araştırmada hemşirelik bölümü öğrencilerinin ölüm anksiyetesi düzeyleri ile psikolojik sağlamlıkları arasındaki ilişki incelenmiştir.
Bu çalışma tanımlayıcı, kesitsel ve korelasyonel bir tasarıma sahiptir. Araştırmanın örneklemini Türkiye’de yer alan bir üniversitenin sağlık
bilimleri fakültesi hemşirelik bölümünde öğrenim gören 729 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada veri toplama aracı olarak “Tanıtıcı Bilgi
Formu”, “Abdel-Khalek Ölüm Anksiyetesi Ölçeği” ve “Yetişkin Psikolojik Sağlamlık Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır.
Öğrencilerin psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeyleri ile yaşları ve sınıfları arasında pozitif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur. Ölüm anksiyetesi
ile psikolojik dayanıklılık arasında negatif bir ilişki bulunmuştur.
Hemşirelik öğrencilerinin psikolojik dayanıklılıklarının artması durumunda ölüme ilişkin kaygılarının azalacağı sonucuna varılmıştır.
Hemşirelik öğrencileri klinik stajlarda terminal dönemdeki hastalarla çalışırken yaşadıkları ölüm anksiyetesi ile nasıl baş edecekleri,
hangi yöntemleri kullanacakları ve ölüm anksiyetesi olan hastaların durumu ile baş etmelerini güçlendirmek için kullanabilecekleri yollar
konusunda eğitimcileri tarafından bilgilendirilmeli ve desteklenmelidir.

Ethical Statement

Çalışmanın yapılabilmesi için Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit Üniversitesi İnsan Araştırmaları Etik Kurulu tarafından onay kararı alınmıştır.

Supporting Institution

Yoktur

References

  • Arslan, G. (2015). Psychometric properties of child and youth resilience measure (CYRM-12): The study of reliability and validity. Ege Journal of Education. 16(1), 1-12. doi:10.12984/ eed.23397
  • Aydoğan, A. S., Gülseren. Ş., Sarıkaya. Ö. Ö., Özen, Ç. (2015). Reliability and validity of the turkish version of abdelkhalek’s death anxiety scale among college students. Arch Neuropsychiatr. 52, 371-375. doi:10.5152/npa.2015.8820
  • Ballesteros, M., Centeno, C., Arantzamendi, M. (2014). A qualitative exploratory study of nursing students assessment of the contribution of pallative care learning. Nurse Education Today. 34(6), e1–e6. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2013.12.010
  • Birol, L. (2004). Hemşirelik süreci. 5. Baskı. Etki Matbaacılık Yayıncılık. İzmir.
  • Cheng, L., Guo, X., Liu, H., Chen, Q., Cui, R. (2021). Hope, death anxiety and simplified coping style scores of nursing students during the outbreak of COVID-19: A cross-sectional study. Medicine. 100(34), e27016. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000027016
  • Cimete, G. (2002). Yaşam sonu bakım: Ölümcül hastalarda bütüncü yaklaşım. 1. Baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevi.
  • Dong, F., Zheng, R., Chen, X., Wang, Y., Zhou, H., Sun, R. (2016). Caring for dying cancer patients in the Chinese cultural context: A qualitative study from the perspectives of physicians and nurses. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 21, 189-196. doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2015.10.003
  • Edo-Gual, M., Tomás-Sábado, J., Gómez-Benito, J., Monforte- Royo, C., Aradilla-Herrero, A. (2018). Spanish adaptation of the frommelt attitude toward care of the dying scale (FATCOD-S) in nursing undergraduates. OMEGA-Journal of death and dying. 78(2), 120-142. doi:10.1177/00302228166882
  • Güngörmüş, K., Okanlı, A., Kocabeyoğlu, T. (2015). Factors influencing resilience in nursing students. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 6(1), 9-14. doi:10.5505/phd.2015.80299
  • Hasheesh, M.O.A., Abo Zeid, S.A.S., El-Said, S.G., Alhujaili, A.D. (2013). Nurses’ characteristics and their attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients in a public hospital in Jordan. Health Science Journal. 7(4), 384-394.
  • Ho, C.S., Chee, C.Y., Ho, R.C. (2020). Mental health strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19 beyond paranoia and panic. Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. 49(3), 155- 160. doi:10.47102/annalsacadmedsg.202043
  • İnci, F., Öz, F. (2009). Effects of death education on nurses’ death anxiety. depression regarding death. and attitudes towards the dying patient. Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi. 10, 253-260.
  • Jafari, M., Rafiei, H., Nassehi, A., Soleimani, F., Arab, M., Noormohammadi, M.R. (2015). Caring for dying patients: attitude of nursing students and effects of education. Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 21(2), 192. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.156497
  • Kandemir, F. (2020). An empirical research on the relationship of Covid-19 pandemic generation’s religiosity and death anxiety in the context of some demographic variables. Tokat Journal of Ilmiyat. 8(1), 99-129. doi:10.5281/zenodo.3876200
  • Kaplan Serin, E., Doğan, R. (2023). The relationship between anxiety and hopelessness levels among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying. 87(3), 793-813. doi:10.1177/00302228211029144
  • Karadeniz, E. Y., Özdemir, A., Serin, E. K. (2023). The relationship between the fear of Covid-19, death anxiety and psychological resilience of nursing students during the pandemic process. Mersin University Journal of Health Sciences. 16(2), 259-269.
  • Karakuş, G., Öztürk, Z., Tamam, L. (2012). Death and Death Anxiety. Archives Medical Review Journal. 2(1), 42-79.
  • Li, S., Wang, Y., Xue, J., Zhao, N., Zhu, T. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 Epidemic Declaration on Psychological Consequences: A Study on Active Weibo Users. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(6), 2032. doi:10.3390/ijerph17062032
  • Menekli, T., Fadıloğlu, Ç. (2014). Examination Perception Death and Affecting Factors of Nursing. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Science. 17(4), 222-229. doi:10.17049/ahsbd.40758
  • Mok, E., Chiu, P.C. (2004). Nurse-patient relationships in palliative care. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 48(5), 475-483. Mondragón-Sánchez, E. J., Cordero, E. A. T., Espinoza, M. D. L. M.,
  • Landeros-Olvera, E. A. (2015). Comparación del nivel de miedo a la muerte entre estudiantes y profesionales de enfermería en México. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 23, 323-328.
  • Özer, Z., Yıldırım, D., Bölüktaş, R. P. (2015). Attitudes of Nursing Students Towards Death. Journal of Economics and Social Research. 2(4), 1-13.
  • Qiu, J., Shen, B., Zhao, M., Wang, Z., Xie, B., Xu, Y. (2020). A nationwide survey of psychological distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: Implications and policy recommendations. Gen Psychiatr. 33(2), e100213. doi:10.1136/ gpsych-2020-100213.
  • Selçuk, K. T., Avcı, D. (2015). Sağlık Yüksek Okulu Öğrencilerinin Ölüme Karşı Tutumları ve İlişkili Etmenler. Literatür Sempozyum Psikiyatri/Nöroloji/Davranış Bilimleri Dergisi. 26-32.
  • Sharour, L. A., Suleiman, K., Yehya, D., Al-Kaladeh, M., Malak, M., Subih, K. M., Salameh, A. B. (2017). Nurses’ students’ attitudes toward death and caring for dying cancer patients during their placement. Euromediterranean Biomedical Journal. 12(40), 189-193. doi:10.3269/1970-5492.2017.12.40
  • Smith-Han, K., Martyn, H., Barrett, A., Nicholson, H. (2016). “That’s not what you expect to do as a doctor. you know. you don’t expect your patients to die.” Death as a learning experience for undergraduate medical students. BMC Medical Education. 16, 1-8. doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0631-3
  • Şahin, G., Buzlu, S. (2017). The mediating role of perceived stress on relationship of resilience with self efficacy social support and the effective coping skills in nursing students. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Science. 20, 122-136.
  • Şahin, M., Demirkıran, F., Adana, F. (2016). Nursing students’ death anxiety. Influencing factors and request of caring for dying people. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 7(3),135-141. doi:10.5505/phd.2016.66588
  • Yakar, B., Batbaş, C.S., Pirinçci, E. (2021). Palliative Care and Hospice. Journal of Continuing Medical Education. 30(2), 136- 43. doi:10.17942/sted.625696
There are 29 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Health and Community Services, Health Services and Systems (Other)
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Musa Özsavran 0000-0001-9008-900X

Dilek Yıldırım Tank 0000-0001-7966-5395

Büşra Ergen Turan 0000-0001-5223-3787

Tülay Ayyıldız 0000-0002-8924-5957

Publication Date August 31, 2025
Submission Date April 29, 2025
Acceptance Date August 14, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 15 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Özsavran, M., Yıldırım Tank, D., Ergen Turan, B., Ayyıldız, T. (2025). Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study. Yükseköğretim Ve Bilim Dergisi, 15(2), 301-309.
AMA Özsavran M, Yıldırım Tank D, Ergen Turan B, Ayyıldız T. Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study. J Higher Edu Sci. August 2025;15(2):301-309.
Chicago Özsavran, Musa, Dilek Yıldırım Tank, Büşra Ergen Turan, and Tülay Ayyıldız. “Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study”. Yükseköğretim Ve Bilim Dergisi 15, no. 2 (August 2025): 301-9.
EndNote Özsavran M, Yıldırım Tank D, Ergen Turan B, Ayyıldız T (August 1, 2025) Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study. Yükseköğretim ve Bilim Dergisi 15 2 301–309.
IEEE M. Özsavran, D. Yıldırım Tank, B. Ergen Turan, and T. Ayyıldız, “Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study”, J Higher Edu Sci, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 301–309, 2025.
ISNAD Özsavran, Musa et al. “Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study”. Yükseköğretim ve Bilim Dergisi 15/2 (August2025), 301-309.
JAMA Özsavran M, Yıldırım Tank D, Ergen Turan B, Ayyıldız T. Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study. J Higher Edu Sci. 2025;15:301–309.
MLA Özsavran, Musa et al. “Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study”. Yükseköğretim Ve Bilim Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, pp. 301-9.
Vancouver Özsavran M, Yıldırım Tank D, Ergen Turan B, Ayyıldız T. Death Anxiety and Psychological Resilience in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study. J Higher Edu Sci. 2025;15(2):301-9.