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Death Anxiety is Associated With Less Health Behavior for Individuals Low in Action Orientation
1Trier University, Trier, Germany.
Omega
|January 24, 2024
Summary
Death anxiety is linked to poorer health behaviors, but only for individuals with low action orientation. Self-regulation influences this relationship, suggesting targeted interventions may improve health behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Death anxiety is negatively associated with health behavior.
- The moderating role of action orientation in this relationship is under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether action orientation moderates the association between death anxiety and health behavior.
- To examine if the negative relationship between death anxiety and health behavior is confined to individuals with low action orientation.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 187 German adults (aged 19-86).
- Self-report measures assessed health behavior, action orientation, death anxiety, and social desirability.
- Moderation analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Action orientation significantly moderated the relationship between death anxiety and health behavior.
- A negative association between death anxiety and health behavior was observed exclusively in individuals with low action orientation.
- This moderation effect persisted after accounting for social desirability, age, and gender.
Conclusions:
- Action orientation plays a crucial role in the interplay between death anxiety and health behavior.
- Self-regulation, as indicated by action orientation, is a key factor determining whether death anxiety impacts health behaviors.
- Findings suggest potential for interventions targeting self-regulation to mitigate negative health behavior associated with death anxiety.
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