University Students' Perspectives on a Psychology of Death and Dying Course: Exploring Motivation to Enroll, Goals, and Impact

This study provides an in-depth investigation of the motivations, goals, and impact on 23 university students enrolled in a Psychology of Death and Dying course. Through a grounded theory analysis of precourse perspective and postcourse reflection assignments, several key themes emerged. Participant...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Death studies 2013-10, Vol.37 (9), p.866-882
Main Author: Buckle, Jennifer L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anxiety - psychology
Attitude to Death
Attitude to Health
Cognition
College Students
Curriculum
Death
Death & dying
Dying
Female
Goals
Grounded theory
Health technology assessment
Humans
Knowledge
Male
Mortality
Mortality Rates
Motivation
Objectives
Psychology - education
Students
Students - psychology
Teachers
Thanatology
Universities
Young Adult
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Summary:This study provides an in-depth investigation of the motivations, goals, and impact on 23 university students enrolled in a Psychology of Death and Dying course. Through a grounded theory analysis of precourse perspective and postcourse reflection assignments, several key themes emerged. Participants were motivated to enroll in the course by their self-identified lack of knowledge on the topic and its professional and personal relevance. They identified three main course goals: cognitive comfort, preparation to support others, and personal growth. At the end of the course, participants noted heightened awareness of personal mortality and increased comfort with death-related topics, as well as reduced fear, surprise at the depth of the thanatology field, and enriched context for their experiences with death and dying. The implications of the results for death educators, researchers, and students are discussed.
ISSN:0748-1187
1091-7683
DOI:10.1080/07481187.2012.699911