Skip to Main Content

Psychological-Educational Studies
2014. Vol. 6, no. 3, 227–242
doi:10.17759/psyedu.2014060322
ISSN: 2587-6139 (online)

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

1632

K.A. Chistopolskaya, S.N. Enikolopov, E.L. Nikolaev, G.I. Semikin, V.V. Hramelashvili, V.N. Kazantseva

PDF (RUS)
Online translation in english
GS
Information
in Google Scholar

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.)

References

  1. Bovina I.B., Dvoryanchikov N.V., Konopleva I.N. Osobennosti obydennykh predstavlenii molodezhi o samoubiitsakh [Elektronnyi resurs] [Aspects of common notions of suicidals in youth]. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie PSYEDU.ru [Psychological science and education PSYEDU.ru], 2013, no. 1. Available at: http://psyedu.ru/journal/2013/1/Bovina_Dvoryanchikov_Konopleva.phtml (Accessed 23.05.2014). (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
  2. Klimov E.A. Obraz mira v raznotipnykh professiyakh [Worldviews in various types of professions]. Moscow: Moscow State University, 1995. 224 p. (In Russ.).
  3. Leont'ev D.A., Rasskazova E.I. Test zhiznestoikosti [Hardiness Survey]. Moscow: Smysl, 2006. 63 p. (In Russ.).
  4. Polozhii B.S. Suitsidal'noe povedenie (kliniko-epidemiologicheskie i etnokul'tural'nye aspekty) [Suicidal Behavior (clinical, epistemological, ethnic and cultural aspects)]. Moscow: Serbskii Governmental Research Center of Social and Forensic Psychiatry, 2010. 232 p.
  5. Syrtsova A., Mitina O.V. Vozrastnaya dinamika vremennykh orientatsii lichnosti [Age-specific dynamics of personal time-perspectives]. Voprosy psikhologii [Issues of Psychology], 2008, no. 2, pp. 41–54. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
  6. Chistopol'skaya K.A., Enikolopov S.N., Badalyan A.V., Sarkisov S.A. Adaptatsiya metodik issledovaniya otnosheniya k smerti u lyudei v ostrom postsuitside i v otnositel'nom psikhologicheskom blagopoluchii [Adaptation of death attitude measures on people in acute postsuicide and in relative psychological well-being]. Sotsial'naya i klinicheskaya psikhiatriya [Social and Clinical Psychiatry], 2012. Vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 35–42. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
  7. Chistopol'skaya K.A., Enikolopov S.N. Problema otnosheniya k smerti posle suitsidal'noi popytki [Elektronnyi resurs] [On the Issue of Death Attitudes after a Suicide Attempt]. Meditsinskaya psikhologiya v Rossii [Medical Psychology in Russia], 2013. Vol. 19, no. 2. Available at: http://www.medpsy.ru/mprj/archiv_global/2013_2_19/nomer/nomer12.php (Accessed 12.05.2014).
  8. Abrutyn S., Mueller A. Are Suicidal Behaviors Contagious in Adolescence? Using Longitudinal Data to Examine Suicide Suggestion. American Sociological Review, 2014. Vol. 79, no. 2, pp. 211–227. doi:10.1177/0003122413519445
  9. Dennis D. Living, Dying, Grieving. Sudberry: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2008. 227 p.
  10. Feifel H. Attitudes Toward Death: A Psychological Perspective. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1969. Vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 292–295. doi:10.1037/h0027565
  11. Feifel H. Religious Conviction and Fear of Death Among the Healthy and the Terminally Ill. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1974. Vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 353–360. doi:10.2307/1384763
  12. Ferguson E. Semper H., Yates J., Fitzgerald J., Skatova A., James D. The ‘Dark Side’ and ‘Bright Side’ of Personality: When Too Much Conscientiousness and Too Little Anxiety Are Detrimental with Respect to the Acquisition of Medical Knowledge and Skill. PLOS ONE. 2014. Vol. 9, no. 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088606. Available at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0088606#pone-0088606-g002 (Accessed: 23.04.2014).
  13. Florian V., Kravetz S. Fear of Personal Death: Attribution, Structure, and Relation to Religious Belief. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1983. Vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 600–607. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.44.3.600
  14. Fraley R.C., Waller N.G., Brennan K.A. An Item Response Theory Analysis of Self-Report Measures of Adult Attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000. Vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 350–365. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.78.2.350
  15. Greenberg J., Pyszczynski T., Solomon S. The Causes and Consequences of a Need for Self-Esteem: A Terror Management Theory. In R.F. Baumeister (Ed.) Public Self and Private Self. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1986, pp. 189–212.
  16. Hart J., Shaver P, Goldenberg J. Attachment, Self-Esteem, Worldviews, and Terror Management: Evidence for a Tripartite Security System. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005. Vol. 88, no. 6, pp. 999–1013. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.88.6.999
  17. Sedikides C., Wildschut T. Gaertner L., Routledge Cl., Arndt J. Nostalgia as Enabler of Self-Continuity. In F. Sani (Ed.) Self-Continuity: Individual and Collective Perspectives. New York: Psychology Press, 2008, pp. 227–239.
  18. Solomon S., Greenberg J., Pyszczynski T. A Terror Management Theory of Social Behavior: The Psychological Functions of Self-Esteem and Cultural Worldviews. In L. Berkowits (Ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. New York: Academic Press, 1991. Vol. 24, pp. 93–159.
  19. Wong P.T. Suicide risks among college students from diverse cultural backgrounds. In S.P. Hobart (Ed.) Directions in Mental Health Counseling. New York: The Hatherleigh Press, 2014 (in press).
  20. Wong P.T., Reker G.T., Gesser G. Death-Attitude Profile-Revised: A Multidimentional Measure of Attitudes Toward Death. In R. Neimeyer (Ed.) Death Anxiety Handbook: Research, Instrumentation, and Application. New York: Taylor and Francis, 1994, pp. 121–148.
  21. Zimbardo P., Boyd J. Putting Time in Perspective: A Valid, Reliable Individual-Differences Metric. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1999. Vol. 77, no. 6, pp. 1271–1288. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.77.6.1271

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

Metrics

Views

Total: 3662
Previous month: 13
Current month: 10

Downloads

Total: 1632
Previous month: 2
Current month: 2