No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Philosophical, Psychological & Spiritual Perspectives on Death & Dying
Abstract
This Ebook reviews the philosophical perspectives on death, the psychological perspectives on death and the fears of death and some religious perspectives of death. The philosophic section will review perspectives of death from ancient Greece through modernity. The psychological section will review death, and the fear of death, from the perspectives of psychoanalytic, humanistic, and existentialist theories. The religious section will provide a brief overview of Prehistoric, African, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian religious beliefs concerning death and afterlife.
... Fear must have been the primary attitude of people when it comes to death. Tomer (1992) stated (as cited by San Filippo (2006)), death according to Heidegger's philosophy, is a threat, a threat of nonexistence [14]. Sheldon Solomon, as cited by Emma Pattee (2020), stated that the robust explanation for this pandemic fear, this existential anxiety, is being reminded of human mortality [11]. ...
... Hence, existential anxiety strikes. Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories can best describe the use of defense mechanisms to guard against internal and external stimuli that could invoke fear and anxiety [14]. With a focus on the underlying processes and causes of death, there is an empirical relationship between cause-specific death, anxiety, and depression. ...
The beliefs and perspectives on death have changed over time in history in particular to how young people perceive death, and most notably in the context of a pandemic This paper describes the findings of a Heideggerian phenomenological study that explored the perceptions on death and dying and the experiences of young people in this time of the pandemic. The study made use of a purposive sample of youths aged 15 to 30 years old. Surveys and interviews were utilized as instruments of the study to obtain the participants' accounts and are interpreted with respect to Heidegger's 'Being Towards Death'. By using interpretive phenomenological analysis the essence of the youth's experience was explored and defined. The youth's perspectives on death and dying is synthesized in the following themes: 1) death is inevitable 2) death is indeterminate 3) death as a discernment d) death perspectives as shaped by sociocultural factors 4.1) science 4.2) religion, culture, and tradition.
... The topic of death is something that cannot be explored completely, especially through a singular discipline or theory, as it is a unique experience for each individual and comes with associations of one's culture, religion, personal experiences, and physical health associations (San Filippo, 2006). This is seen in the limitations of Social Cognitive Theory which does not consider biological hormonal reactions, such as the flight or fight response. ...
Historically, the medical field has viewed death and dying as incurable ‘medical failures,’ and as a result, many healthcare professionals have difficulties when facing a patient who is dying or at the end of their life. These individuals will use avoidant behavior to avoid end-of-life (EOL) patients or can have difficulty providing essential aspects of care including communication, that contribute to building a strong relationship between the healthcare provider and patient. For the healthcare professional (HCP), this can stem from anxiety related to thoughts of death and a lack of educational support or experience. The study of death is where the sciences and humanities meet, and therefore can only fully be explored using interdisciplinary methods. For this study, healthcare professionals (MD/DO/Counseling) were interviewed with questions derived from the approaches used by psychology, philosophy/bioethics, and communication as well as the interdisciplinary research of healthcare. Phenomenological qualitative thematic analysis using the program NVIVO was used to derive common themes from the interviews, integrated with published research. Themes include Supportive Techniques used by HCP to process challenging emotions because of working with EOL patients, the importance placed on patients experiencing a Good Death and subcodes in Work Environment such as Patient Support via Emotion, Colleague Inadequacy, Administrative Support, and Patient Provider Miscommunication. This research provides a foundation of data for future research paths implementing empathy and evidence-based practice standards into a greater diversity of specialties to support the need for increased mental and emotional support from healthcare administration and redefine professionalism in healthcare.
... Grief and mourning continue to be central research topics in the anthropology of death (Robben, 2018:13). The study of death, grief and mourning has been done in various fields such as psychology (Robert, 2000;Klimczuk & Fabis, 2017;O'connor, 2019), medicine (Shear, 2012;Hagan, 2015;Schmidt et al., 2016), anthropology (Kiong & Schiller, 1993;Silverman et al., 2021), sociology (Riley, 1983;Walter, 2008;Puri, 2021), pastoral studies (Cox & Fundis, 1992;Cox et al., 2003;Baloyi, 2014;Bregman, 2019), and religious studies (Lloyd, 1996;Filippo, 2006;Setta & Shemie, 2015). Yet more recent publications have focused on this subject focusing specifically on the COVID-19 pandemic death experiences (Mortazavi et al., 2021;Trebski, 2021;. ...
BIAS 36 ist an essays collection that explores the intersection of religion and health in a COVID-19 context specifically focusing on Zimbabwe. With the menace of COVID-19 across cultures, this volume places its focus on this pandemic and how it has reshaped the discourse on the way, religion interfaces with health. The book further examines the ambivalence of religion in shaping attitudes towards health-seeking behaviour as well as influencing responses to pandemics. This book, therefore, makes a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge by offering an incisive analysis of how the pandemic has shaped the way religion has contributed both positively and negatively to the discourse on health in Zimbabwe. Such an analysis is crucial in informing policy on the future relationship between science and religion in public health both during this pandemic as well as in the post-pandemic era and the crises ahead. The book contains contributions by Molly MANYONGANISE (ed.) / Vengesai CHIMININGE / Enna Sukutai GUDHLANGA / Bernard Pindukai HUMBE / Angeline Mavis MADONGONDA / Clemence MAKAMURE / Gift MASENGWE / Peter MASVOTORE / Tawanda MATUTU / Tenson MUYAMBO / Bednicho NYONI / Nomatter SANDE / Jane TENDERE / Lovemore TOGARASEI / Lindah TSARA / Silindiwe ZVINGOWANISEI
... However, the humanistic theory clarifies death anxiety differently. It assumes that individuals are propelled by a craving to accomplish their most abnormal amount of inborn potential, i.e. self-actualization or finding of direction for one's life that can reduce the fear of death (Filippo, 2006). ...
The present study aimed to examine the relationship between death anxiety, optimism and religiosity among cancer patients. The sample consisted of (42) adults who were all suffering from cancer. Three main scales namely, death anxiety scale, optimism scale and religiosity scale were developed by the researcher and then used in the present study to collect data. Pearson Correlation Coefficient (-0.38) showed that the relationship between death anxiety and optimism was statistically significant. On the other hand, the relationship between death anxiety and religiosity was also statistically significant as Pearson Correlation Coefficient was (-0.34). Furthermore, regression and prediction coefficients (stepwise) showed that death anxiety could be predicted by optimism and religiosity. therefore the need for the preparation of programs for the counseling for cancer patients to reduce the death anxiety fells and increase their level of optimism.
Death and dying is an often neglected area in the radiography theoretical and workplace learning curriculum. Yet, it is estimated that approximately 50% of all deaths are encountered in healthcare establishments. Literature highlights that the phenomenon of death and dying is experienced differently by different people. How healthcare professionals experience and cope with death and dying patient encounters in the workplace have been studied for more than a decade. However, no evidence could be found of a similar study done in the South African diagnostic radiography context. This and classroom interactions with my students spurred me to conduct a study in this area with a specific focus on undergraduate diagnostic radiography students.
The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences and coping mechanisms, and the nature of this relationship, of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students pertaining to death and dying patients in the workplace, and to identify support strategies to assist students to cope better with death and dying patients.
To achieve this aim, a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive, contextual research design was used. Sixteen undergraduate diagnostic radiography students (n=16) were purposively sampled at one higher education institution in South Africa. Reflective journaling and individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews using an adapted format of the Mmogo-technique™ were utilised as data gathering methods. The data was analysed using an inductive, thematic analysis. Five themes and 13 sub-themes were identified. Strategies were employed to ensure trustworthiness and ethical integrity during the research process.
Theme one relates to the participants’ sense-making, meaning construction and elicited affective responses during their experiences with death and dying patient encounters. Participants appraised these experiences to make sense thereof. They also created meaning using the quest hero narrative metaphor. Their appraisal of the experience elicited an array of positive and negative affective responses. Theme two relays participant- and workplace-related factors that contributed to how the participants would appraise their experiences with death and dying patients during workplace learning (WPL). These factors were categorised as being inconsequential, mitigating or aggravating the negative connotations attached to such experiences. While theme three conveys the emotion-focused, problem-focused and appraisal-focused coping mechanisms that the participants used to cope with their experiences with death and dying patients during workplace learning. Theme four provides a description and discussion of the relationship that was identified between the participants’ experiences and coping. Theme five presents recommendations that the participants put forth that they believe will facilitate their effective coping with death and dying patient encounters during workplace learning. A literature control and the theoretical framework underpinning the study (i.e., the transactional model of Lazarus and Folkman) was used to locate the findings of this study in relation to the available and accessible body of knowledge.
The findings, literature and theoretical framework underpinning the study were used to inform the development of support strategies to facilitate the effective coping of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students in relation to death and dying patient experiences they may encounter during workplace learning. The conceptual framework of Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach was used as a theoretical premise to develop the education and empowerment for coping (EEC) support strategies. The strategies comprise two main support strategies with five and four functional strategies, respectively. The first main strategy covers educational strategies that can be developed and implemented to facilitate undergraduate diagnostic radiography students’ understanding of death, dying, grief and effective coping as well as patient care and management. The second main strategy encompasses empowerment strategies that facilitate the development of a support culture for undergraduate diagnostic radiography students to facilitate their coping with death and dying patients. To enhance the credibility of these strategies, a review was conducted by a panel of five reviewers using evaluation criteria proposed by Chinn and Kramer.
I reflected on six germane lessons I learnt during my doctoral journey. A summary of the findings in relation to each of the four objectives underpinning the study, the limitations of the study, recommendations for future research and implications for practice are provided in the final chapter of this thesis.
In conclusion, novel findings were presented in this thesis. These findings provide the first insights, from a South African perspective, about undergraduate diagnostic radiography students’ experiences and coping with death and dying patients whilst they are in the clinical setting for WPL. Furthermore, the relationship between their experiences and identified coping, can potentially inform the creation of a diagnostic radiography specific theory in this regard. The proposed education and empowerment for coping (EEC) support strategies can form the basis for implementing changes at higher education institutions and clinical training sites to facilitate effective coping of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students in respect of death and dying patient incidents that they may face during WPL.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.