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Fear of Death in Mid-Old Age

Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Address correspondence to Victor G. Cicirelli, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364. E-mail: victor{at}psych.purdue.edu

A transition model hypothesizes that the discrepancy between desired and expected time left to live is greater for mid-old persons than young-old persons. This discrepancy arouses a greater fear of death, which is influenced by age, health, and purpose in life. With the use of the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale, 192 older adults (60 to 84 years of age) were assessed on these variables and death fear. In structural analyses, purpose in life and the difference between the desired and the expected time left to live had direct effects on fear of body loss, with indirect effects of health; the relative size of effects differed as expected for two age groups. These variables were not related to fear of the unknown. An awareness of approaching death appears to arouse a greater fear of physical loss, but not mental or spiritual loss, in mid-old persons than in young-old persons.