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Viver com a morte em mente: como os jovens adultos percecionam e lidam com a morte
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Resumo(s)
A morte é um fenómeno universal, inevitável e profundamente simbólico, cuja compreensão é essencial para entender como é integrada pelos indivíduos na sua existência. As atitudes face à morte refletem dimensões cognitivas, emocionais e existenciais que influenciam o modo como os indivíduos lidam com a finitude e o sentido da vida, podendo ser moldadas por diferentes fatores.
Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar as atitudes face à morte em jovens adultos, explorando as dimensões de medo, evitamento e aceitação, bem como os significados atribuídos ao fenómeno e estratégias de enfrentamento associadas.
Método: Participaram 253 jovens adultos portugueses, com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 40 anos, que preencheram a Escala de Avaliação do Perfil de Atitudes Face à Morte (EAPAM), o State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) e um questionário sociodemográfico, complementados por entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas a uma subamostra qualitativa.
Resultados: Os resultados quantitativos indicaram a predominância da aceitação neutra, revelando uma compreensão racional e serena da finitude. Verificaram-se associações significativas entre a aceitação como aproximação e a religião e espiritualidade, bem como entre a aceitação como escape e experiências de risco de vida. O medo da morte não apresentou preditores significativos, sugerindo uma dimensão mais existencial e intrínseca. A análise qualitativa reforçou a complexidade e ambivalência das atitudes face à morte, revelando coexistência de medo, curiosidade e serenidade. O medo surgiu sobretudo associado à perda de vínculos afetivos, enquanto a aceitação refletiu processos de integração simbólica e procura de sentido. As estratégias identificadas incluíram evitamento, apoio emocional e transcendência simbólica, cuja eficácia percebida variou em função do grau de integração entre razão e emoção.
Conclusões: Os resultados evidenciam a importância de promover espaços de reflexão sobre a morte, de modo a favorecer a maturidade existencial e o bem-estar psicológico em jovens adultos.
Death is a universal, inevitable, and deeply symbolic phenomenon, whose understanding is essential to comprehend how individuals integrate it into their existence. Attitudes toward death reflect cognitive, emotional, and existential dimensions that influence how individuals deal with finitude and the meaning of life, and these can also be impacted by different factors. Objective: This study aimed to analyse attitudes toward death in young adults, exploring the dimensions of fear, avoidance, and acceptance, as well as the meanings attributed to the phenomenon and the associated coping strategies. Method: The sample consisted of 253 Portuguese young adults aged between 18 and 40 years, who completed the Escala de Avaliação do Perfil de Atitudes Face à Morte (EAPAM), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), and a sociodemographic questionnaire, complemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with a qualitative subsample. Results: Quantitative results indicated a predominance of neutral acceptance, reflecting a rational and calm understanding of finitude. Significant associations were found between approach acceptance and religiosity/spirituality, as well as between escape acceptance and life-threatening experiences. Fear of death showed no significant predictors, suggesting a more existential and intrinsic dimension. The qualitative analysis reinforced the complexity and ambivalence of attitudes toward death, revealing the coexistence of fear, curiosity, and serenity. Fear was mainly associated with the loss of emotional bonds, whereas acceptance reflected symbolic integration processes and meaning making. Identified coping strategies included avoidance, emotional support, and symbolic transcendence, whose perceived effectiveness varied according to the degree of integration between reason and emotion. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of promoting spaces for reflection on death, fostering existential maturity and psychological well-being among young adults.
Death is a universal, inevitable, and deeply symbolic phenomenon, whose understanding is essential to comprehend how individuals integrate it into their existence. Attitudes toward death reflect cognitive, emotional, and existential dimensions that influence how individuals deal with finitude and the meaning of life, and these can also be impacted by different factors. Objective: This study aimed to analyse attitudes toward death in young adults, exploring the dimensions of fear, avoidance, and acceptance, as well as the meanings attributed to the phenomenon and the associated coping strategies. Method: The sample consisted of 253 Portuguese young adults aged between 18 and 40 years, who completed the Escala de Avaliação do Perfil de Atitudes Face à Morte (EAPAM), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), and a sociodemographic questionnaire, complemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with a qualitative subsample. Results: Quantitative results indicated a predominance of neutral acceptance, reflecting a rational and calm understanding of finitude. Significant associations were found between approach acceptance and religiosity/spirituality, as well as between escape acceptance and life-threatening experiences. Fear of death showed no significant predictors, suggesting a more existential and intrinsic dimension. The qualitative analysis reinforced the complexity and ambivalence of attitudes toward death, revealing the coexistence of fear, curiosity, and serenity. Fear was mainly associated with the loss of emotional bonds, whereas acceptance reflected symbolic integration processes and meaning making. Identified coping strategies included avoidance, emotional support, and symbolic transcendence, whose perceived effectiveness varied according to the degree of integration between reason and emotion. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of promoting spaces for reflection on death, fostering existential maturity and psychological well-being among young adults.
Descrição
Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre em Psicologia Clínica
Palavras-chave
Atitudes face à morte Jovens adultos Medo da morte Aceitação Propósito Significado Attitudes toward death Young adults Fear of death Acceptance Purpose Meaning