The Role of Postformal Cognitive Development in Death Acceptance

Abstract

This research is the first to test the relation between postformal complex thought (PFT) and death acceptance. College students (N = 225) completed the PFT questionnaire (Cartwright et al., J Adult Dev, 2009), the Need for Cognition scale (Cacioppo et al., J Personality Assess 48: 3, 1984), and Klug's Death Acceptance Scale, comprised of death integration and confrontation scales (Klug and Sinha, Omega 18:229-235, 1987). A series of hierarchical regression analyses showed PFT made a significant contribution to death acceptance over the contributions of other cognitive and demographic variables, as predicted. Further, PFT made a significant contribution to death integration but not to death confrontation. These results are consistent with contemporary theories of adult cognitive development and PFT.

Death preparedness: a concept analysis

“…A cognitive state of pondering one's mortality occurs prior to the process of death preparedness (Jennings et al . , Allen et al . , Jacobsen et al .…”

Conjoint cognitive and emotional death‐preparedness states and their changes within cancer patients' last 6 months

“…We identified two distinct states of cognitive and emotional death preparedness only, indicating accurate PA does not guarantee emotional preparedness for death, as reported 13,14 or vice versa. Accurate PA has been suggested to trigger the process of preparing for death 9 . However, cognitive insights about one's poor prognosis do not automatically translate to emotional acceptance of/preparedness for one's mortality 13,14 .…”

“…Accurate PA has been suggested to trigger the process of preparing for death. 9 However, cognitive insights about one's poor prognosis do not automatically translate to emotional acceptance of/preparedness for one's mortality. 13,14 Furthermore, cancer patients may experience "uncertain open awareness" (suggested by Timmermans), 33 that is, patients may abandon the unpleasant aspects of recognizing their poor prognosis by avoiding emotional confrontations with the threat of one's forthcoming death, thereby reporting inadequate emotional preparedness for death (indicated by the cognitive-death-preparedness-only state).…”

The existential obituary writing technique for emerging adults: Thematic and content analyses.

“…The theoretical tenets that are supported by the findings of this study also reflect extant empirical research findings on emerging adulthood. For example, the integration of subjective and objective modes of thought in postformal complex cognition has been demonstrated as conducive to accepting the inevitability of death in emerging adults (Jennings, Galupo, & Cartwright, 2009). Furthermore, interventions involving deep reflection on and discussion of one's purpose in life have been found to promote emerging adults' goal-directedness and to serve as a protective factor against normative decline in life satisfaction (Bundick, 2011).…”