TY - JOUR T1 - Death across the lifespan: Age differences in death-related thoughts and anxiety. JF - Death Stud Y1 - 2017 A1 - William J. Chopik KW - Adolescent KW - Adult KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Aging KW - Anxiety KW - Attitude to Death KW - Cross-Sectional Studies KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Longitudinal Studies KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - Thinking KW - Young Adult AB -

Many studies have found age-related declines in death-related anxiety. Why do death-related thoughts and anxiety decline across the lifespan when exposure to, and likelihood of, death increase over time? In Study 1, a cross-sectional survey of 2,363 adults, death-related thoughts declined across the lifespan. In Study 2, a longitudinal study of 9,815 adults followed over a 4-year period, death anxiety declined across the lifespan. Further, greater social support predicted lower levels of death anxiety over time, after controlling for self-rated health and chronic illnesses. Close relationships serve emotion regulation functions to decrease death anxiety and thoughts across the lifespan.

VL - 41 UR - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2016.1206997 IS - 2 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27573253?dopt=Abstract JO - Death Studies ER -