Death Attitudes in Students of Medical, Humanitarian and Technical Specialties: the Issue of Suicide Risk

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Abstract

We discuss the problem of variability of defenses from fears of death, and their dependence on the obtained profession. We describe a study with the sample was 757 subjects 18-25 years old (398 males, 359 females) from Moscow (N.E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University, engineers, n = 283), Cheboksary (Chuvash State University, physicians, psychologists, and Cheboksary Branch of RSSU, lawyers, managers, n = 323), and Odessa (Odessa National University of Economics, economists, n = 151). During the study, the subjects filled in questionnaires on time-perspective, hardiness, death attitudes and fears of death. The study confirmed the hypothesis that medical students in relation to the problem of death are significantly different from non-health professions students in relation to the problem of death ana pattern of defenses. The article presents a comprehensive picture of each of the professions of the students enrolled in the study, considering the heightened risk of suicide. The results of the study can be used to form the training courses that take into account the specifics of the future work of students in their chosen specialty.

General Information

Keywords: psychological well-being, time-perspective, hardiness, attachment, death attitudes, fear of death, suicidal risk

Journal rubric: Developmental Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2014060322

For citation: Chistopolskaya K.A., Enikolopov S.N., Nikolaev E.L., Semikin G.I., Hramelashvili V.V., Kazantseva V.N. Death Attitudes in Students of Medical, Humanitarian and Technical Specialties: the Issue of Suicide Risk [Elektronnyi resurs]. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie psyedu.ru [Psychological Science and Education psyedu.ru], 2014. Vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 227–242. DOI: 10.17759/psyedu.2014060322. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Ksenia A. Chistopolskaya, Medical Psychologist, Psychiatric Department no. 2, Eramishantsev Moscow City Clinical Hospital, Junior Research Fellow, Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry – a branch of V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2552-5009, e-mail: ktchist@gmail.com

Sergey N. Enikolopov, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Head of Department of Clinical Psychology, Mental Health Research Center, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7899-424X, e-mail: enikolopov@mail.ru

Evgeni L. Nikolaev, Doctor of Medicine, Associate Professor, Professor, Head of the Chair of Social and Clinical Psychology, Ulianov Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8976-715X, e-mail: pzdorovie@bk.ru

G. I. Semikin, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Valeology, Moscow State Technical University. N. Uh. Bauman, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: semikin@bmstu.ru

V. V. Hramelashvili, PhD in Medicine, Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, Head of the Laboratory of Psychophysiological Research and Professional Orientation of the Educational and Methodical Center «Health Saving Technologies and Prevention of Drug Addiction in the youth Environment», Moscow State Technical University. N. Uh.Bauman, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: vikh@mail.ru

V. N. Kazantseva, Psychologist, The Odessa pre-school educational institution "Nursery-kindergarten" No. 306, Odessa, Ukraine, e-mail: cherry-blossom88@yandex.ru

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