Examınıng The Relatıonshıp Between Death Anxıety And Self-Esteem, Relıgıous Worldvıews, Purpose In Lıfe

Abstract

Death is an inevitable fact for all living beings. Differently from other living beings, human beings are aware of the reality of death. The subject of this study is examining the relationships between death anxiety and self-esteem, religious worldviews, purpose in life of college students. In this respect, it is assumed that death anxiety has negative relationships with self-esteem, religious worldviews and purpose in life. Living with the reality and inevitability of death is a source of anxiety for human beings (Solomon, et al., 1991). This is explained by Terror Management Theory of Social Psychology. According to this theory, people focus on increasing their self-esteem levels to reduce this anxiety since self-esteem acts as a buffer against possible anxiety caused by the awareness of human mortality (Rosenblatt, et al., 1989). Self -esteem is the attitude of an individual towards him- / herself that also gives information about the individual (Mruk, 2006). Religious worldviews is the belief of an individual in spirituality, supernatural, purpose in life, the existence of another life and the creator (Henze, 2006). Death takes a large part in Islamic religion. It is interpreted not as an annihilation but a transformation (Yildiz, 2014). Religion includes economic, political, social and cultural areas; ethical rules, values and practices that affects all aspects of life (Marshall & van Saanen, 2007). Religion is a worldview and creates a value system (Mehmedoglu, 2013). The purpose in life is described as a feeling that both the present and the past have a meaning (Ryff, 1989). If an individual has no meaning in life and no specific purpose in life, this creates anxiety (Yalom, 1999). The most important goal of an individual is the search for meaning in life which is also the fundamental motivational sources of an individual (Frankl, 2000). The suppression or inhibition of the search for meaning in life creates anxiety (Burrow, et al., 2014). In total of 711 (64.1 % women and 35.9 % men) college students from different departments of a state university in Middle Anatolian region voluntarily participated in this study. Data were collected utilizing Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), Religious Worldviews Scale (Goplen & Plant, 2015), Purpose of Life Scale (Crumbaugh & Maholick, 1964), Death Anxiety Scale (Thorson & Powell, 1992) and personal information form which is developed by the authors of this study. Self -esteem scale was developed by Rosenberg (1965) and adapted to Turkish language by Cuhadaroglu (1986). This scale consists of 10 items. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient is 0,84 and split -half reliability coefficient is 0,80. The religious worldviews scale was developed by Goplen & Plant (2015) and adapted to Turkish language by Kusat & Bulut (2016). This scale consists of 19 items. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient is 0,88 and split -half reliability coefficient is 0,86. The purpose of life scale was developed by Crumbaugh & Maholick (1964, 1969) and adapted to Turkish language by Kirac (2015). This scale consists of 16 items. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient is 0,90 and split -half reliability coefficient is 0,85. The death anxiety scale was developed by Thorson & Powell (1992) and adapted to Turkish language by Karaca & Yildiz (2001). This scale consists of 25 items. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient is 0,86 and split -half reliability coefficient is 0,83. In analyzing the data, quantitative analyses techniques were used. Means and standard deviations of descriptive statistical techniques were applied. In comparing two independent groups: t-test for independent groups, in comparing more than two groups: variance analysis, in examining the relationships between the variables: correlation analysis and in examining the explained variance in death anxiety: hierarchical regression analysis from inferential statistical techniques were used. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23 statistical package program. According to the findings of this study, in mean scores self-esteem, religious worldviews and purpose in life variables have 'high' and death anxiety has 'medium' score. Independent groups t - test results showed that women's self-esteem, religious worldviews, purpose in life and death anxiety scores are significantly higher than men's scores. ANOVA results showed that there are statistically significant differences in religious worldviews and purpose in life scores between faculties and differences in religious worldviews scores between classes. There are no statistically significant relationships between death anxiety and self-esteem, religious worldviews, purpose in life. Lastly, according to the hierarchical regression analysis results, gender explains the variance significantly in death anxiety. The findings were discussed on the basis of relevant literature and some suggestions were made