Investigated impact of grief counseling course in terms of two-component formulation of death acceptance. Compared to controls, participants showed significant and sustained increase in cognitive confrontation of death and in assimilation of attitudes at emotional level. Identified predictors of extent of effect included individual's initial death…

Responds to study (Shaffer et al., 1990) on adolescent suicide attempters and suicide prevention programs. Challenges study results, arguing against implications that effectiveness of all educational suicide intervention efforts are doomed and that suicide is function of mental illness rather than stresses and losses of life. Argues that death…

Students in a death education course were compared with students of sex education and introductory psychology. After the death education course, students viewed death as more approachable, and wished to experience death in a more interpersonal as compared to a technological context. (Author)

Evaluated efficacy of bereavement program for widowed persons. Experimental participants (N=25) were treatment group members; controls (N=25) were on group waiting list. All subjects were pretested and posttested with Texas Revised Inventory of Grief. Results showed no significant differences between groups on posttest scores. Recovery from grief…

Evaluated effectiveness of death education program in reducing death anxiety experienced by 22 junior and senior nursing students. Subjects were pre- and posttested with State Form of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and viewed film of death experience. Posttest analysis indicated that death education program was effective in decreasing death anxiety…

Describes an experimental death awareness workshop based on Kubler-Ross' theory. The effects of the workshop reveal cognitive and emotional changes indicating participants in the workshop to be moving towards an acceptance of death. (Author)

Measured the effect of a three-week death and dying symposium on attitudes and anxiety related to death, dying, and grief. Results indicated lower death anxiety for students in both the treatment and control groups. Findings are discussed in terms of widespread media coverage and informal discussions which accompany symposiums. (JAC)

Conducted a follow-up study of a three-week, university sponsored death and dying symposium to measure attitudes of nonattendees. The findings showed a declining taboo regarding death education and a "ripple effect" in which individuals are affected by a death education program even though they do not attend it. (JAC)

Describes bereavement support program for survivors of cancer deaths developed by Riverdale Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Presents detailed program evaluation which asked bereaved survivors who were program participants for one year to evaluate program aspects and facilitation of their grief by volunteers. Recommendations for expansion and…