Centre for Policy on Ageing



Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? — findings from a longitudinal study
Author(s)	Paul Wink, Julia Scott
Journal title	Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, vol 60B, no 4, July 2005
Pages	pp P207-P214
Source	http://www.geron.org
Keywords	Spiritual characteristics [elderly] ; Attitude ; Death ; Dying ; Longitudinal surveys ; United States of America.
Annotation	Longitudinal data for a representative sample of 155 individuals born in 1928 and 1929 in Berkeley, California (the Berkeley Guidance Study) was used to investigate the relation between religiousness and fear of death and dying in late adulthood. No linear relationships were found. Fear of death also characterised participants who lacked congruence between belief in an afterlife and religious practices. Older participants (in their mid-70s) who experienced more bereavement and illness feared the dying experience less than younger participants (in their late 60s). The findings support the hypothesis that firmness and consistency of beliefs and practices, rather than religiousness per se, buffer against death anxiety in old age. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-051121217 A
Classmark	EX: DP: CW: CX: 3J: 7T
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.