The Effects of Death Anxiety and Mode of “Case Study” Presentation on Shifts of Attitude toward Euthanasia

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Abstract
The influence of death anxiety and variations in method of “case study” presentation were investigated to determine the effects on shifts of attitude toward euthanasia. College students (N = 18) were randomized to one of two experimental treatments: (I) a video tape presentation of a burn victim who was requesting that treatment be withdrawn, and (II) a written narrative of the same “case study.” All participants were administered the Collett-Lester Death Anxiety Scale [1], and a Likert-type Euthanasia Attitude Scale [2], as a pre-experimental condition approximately four weeks before exposure to the treatments. Following treatment, all participants were readministered the Euthanasia Attitude Scale. Data were analyzed by t-tests for related data to determine pre- to post-test shifts of attitude and by an ANOVA (presentations × death anxiety). There was a significant shift of attitude in the “video” group toward a more supportive posture and a significant shift toward a less supportive posture in the “written” group. There appeared to be significant differences in attitudes toward euthanasia between experimental groups and the data also suggested a significant interaction effect between presentation and death anxiety.

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