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Experience with euthanasia is associated with fearlessness about death in veterinary students
Tracy K Witte1, Christopher J Correia, Donna Angarano
1Department of Psychology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5214, USA. tracy.witte@auburn.edu
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|January 3, 2013
Summary
Veterinarians" experience with euthanasia may lead to reduced fear of death. This emotional habituation is linked to increased fearlessness about death, specifically from euthanasia, not surgery.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Veterinarians face higher suicide risks than the general population.
- The reasons behind this increased risk are not well understood.
- Emotional habituation to death may play a role.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that repeated exposure to euthanasia reduces fear of death in veterinarians.
- To explore the relationship between euthanasia experience and fearlessness about death.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted on 130 veterinary students.
- Participants' experience with euthanasia was assessed.
- Fearlessness about death was measured.
- The relationship between euthanasia experience and fearlessness was analyzed.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was found between experience with euthanasia and fearlessness about death.
- This association was specific to euthanasia and did not extend to experience with surgery or necropsy.
- Results supported the emotional habituation hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- Repeated exposure to euthanasia can lead to emotional habituation and reduced fear of death in veterinary professionals.
- This specific fearlessness may contribute to understanding the occupational risks in veterinary medicine.
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