Adjustment Disorder in the Face of COVID-19 Outbreak: The Impact of Death Anxiety, Media Exposure, Fear of Contagion and Hypochondriasis Symptoms

Based on the theoretical view of Terror Management Theory, the current research examines whether higher levels of death anxiety symptoms, in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, increase the extent to which participants are exposed to information regarding the spread of the pandemic, as well as the fe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Omega: Journal of Death and Dying 2023-09, Vol.87 (4), p.1189-1206
Main Authors: Mahat-Shamir, Michal, Pitcho-Prelorentzos, Shani, Kagan, Maya, Kestler-Peleg, Miri, Lavenda, Osnat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment disorder
Adjustment Disorders
Anxiety
Contagion
COVID-19
Death & dying
Death anxiety
Fear
Fear & phobias
Humans
Hypochondria
Hypochondriasis
Hypochondriasis - diagnosis
Original
Pandemics
Self report
Terror management theory
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Summary:Based on the theoretical view of Terror Management Theory, the current research examines whether higher levels of death anxiety symptoms, in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, increase the extent to which participants are exposed to information regarding the spread of the pandemic, as well as the fear of contagion and symptoms of hypochondriasis, which all in turn increase symptoms of adjustment disorder. A total number of 302 participants filled out self-report questionnaires regarding death anxiety, adjustment disorder, the extent of exposure to information regarding COVID-19, fear of contagion, hypochondriasis, and demographic information. Structural Equation Modeling analysis indicated a very good fit of the theoretical model with the data, confirming the mediation effect of exposure to information, fear of contagion, and symptoms of hypochondriasis on the association between death anxiety and adjustment disorder symptoms. Implications for practice are discussed.
ISSN:0030-2228
1541-3764
DOI:10.1177/00302228211034372