Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory

Abstract In the present paper, we report two studies examining the relationships among renunciation of desires, death anxiety, and mental health. In the first study, we constructed the Desire Questionnaire (DQ), which measures success in renouncing certain desire. The DQ has satisfactory psychometri...

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Main Authors: Yi-Fen Kuo, Yun-Ming Chang, Mei-Fang Lin, Ming-Lung Wu, Yung-Jong Shiah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-06-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14527-w
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author Yi-Fen Kuo
Yun-Ming Chang
Mei-Fang Lin
Ming-Lung Wu
Yung-Jong Shiah
author_facet Yi-Fen Kuo
Yun-Ming Chang
Mei-Fang Lin
Ming-Lung Wu
Yung-Jong Shiah
author_sort Yi-Fen Kuo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the present paper, we report two studies examining the relationships among renunciation of desires, death anxiety, and mental health. In the first study, we constructed the Desire Questionnaire (DQ), which measures success in renouncing certain desire. The DQ has satisfactory psychometric properties. In the second study, 501 adults from a Chinese society ranging in age from 17 to 84 years (M = 35.58, SD = 14.76) completed the DQ, the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ), which measures mental health and the presence of psychiatric symptoms. As predicted, DQ had significant negative correlations with both DAS (p < 0.05) and CHQ (p < 0.01). DAS had a significant positive correlation with CHQ (p < 0.01). In the linear mediation model, DAS was found to partially mediate the relationship between DQ and CHQ (β = − 0.18, p < 0.001). These results suggest that the negative effect of poor control of desires on mental health can be partially accounted for by death anxiety. These findings imply that training in eliminating desires can be a successful strategy to improve mental health. These results also support the Nonself Theory as a theory of death anxiety and show its relevance to the relationship between nonself and mental health.
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spelling doaj.art-ef0e35df0d224734b109ecb2dbc4e5262022-12-22T00:23:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-06-0112111010.1038/s41598-022-14527-wDeath anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself TheoryYi-Fen Kuo0Yun-Ming Chang1Mei-Fang Lin2Ming-Lung Wu3Yung-Jong Shiah4Graduate Institute of Counseling Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, National Kaohsiung Normal UniversityDepartment of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal UniversityDepartment of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal UniversityTeacher Education and Careers Service, National Kaohsiung Normal UniversityGraduate Institute of Counseling Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, National Kaohsiung Normal UniversityAbstract In the present paper, we report two studies examining the relationships among renunciation of desires, death anxiety, and mental health. In the first study, we constructed the Desire Questionnaire (DQ), which measures success in renouncing certain desire. The DQ has satisfactory psychometric properties. In the second study, 501 adults from a Chinese society ranging in age from 17 to 84 years (M = 35.58, SD = 14.76) completed the DQ, the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ), which measures mental health and the presence of psychiatric symptoms. As predicted, DQ had significant negative correlations with both DAS (p < 0.05) and CHQ (p < 0.01). DAS had a significant positive correlation with CHQ (p < 0.01). In the linear mediation model, DAS was found to partially mediate the relationship between DQ and CHQ (β = − 0.18, p < 0.001). These results suggest that the negative effect of poor control of desires on mental health can be partially accounted for by death anxiety. These findings imply that training in eliminating desires can be a successful strategy to improve mental health. These results also support the Nonself Theory as a theory of death anxiety and show its relevance to the relationship between nonself and mental health.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14527-w
spellingShingle Yi-Fen Kuo
Yun-Ming Chang
Mei-Fang Lin
Ming-Lung Wu
Yung-Jong Shiah
Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
Scientific Reports
title Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
title_full Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
title_fullStr Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
title_full_unstemmed Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
title_short Death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by Nonself Theory
title_sort death anxiety as mediator of relationship between renunciation of desire and mental health as predicted by nonself theory
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14527-w
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