The Predictive Role of Personality Disorders and Personality Traits in Death Anxiety

Abstract

The current study investigates the interplay between personality traits, personality disorders, and death anxiety in a sample of 2331 participants (49% males; 51% females) across two phases. The Death Anxiety Scale, the Psychosocial Personality Inventory, and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire were utilized. The findings revealed significant predictive relationships between personality disorders and death anxiety. Positive correlations were observed between death anxiety and nine personality disorders, including avoidant (r = .227), borderline (r = .123), dependent (r = .157), depressive (r = .098), histrionic (r = .074), narcissistic (r = .111), negativistic (r = .103), obsessive-compulsive (r = .126), and schizotypal (r = .078) personality disorders ( p < .001). Death anxiety had significant inverse correlations with leadership (r = −.101) and spirituality (r = −.099) traits ( p < .005). Avoidant personality disorder projected the highest prediction for death anxiety (β = .227; p = .000). Leadership as a personality trait demonstrated an outstanding ability to prevent death anxiety (β = −.101; p = .013). These findings make a unique contribution to the literature of death anxiety, personality disorders, and personality traits.