Title
Generativity and other buffers of death awareness in first responders
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Anxiety buffer disruption theory (ABDT) predicts that posttraumatic stress reactions occur when buffers of awareness of death, such as meaning in life, self-esteem, and social intimacy, fail to suppress overwhelming death-anxiety. In this study, we hypothesized that generativity may also serve as an effective buffer of awareness of death and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Design: The present study investigated the presence of anxiety buffering disruption in first responders with a spectrum of posttraumatic stress via a mediation path model of self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, anxiety buffer variables, and death-thought accessibility. Methods: To investigate the role of anxiety buffering in PTSD, a sample of 986 first responders completed self-report measures of PTSD symptoms and anxiety buffer variables in randomized order, and a death-thought accessibility measure following random assignment to mortality salience (n = 290) or control (n = 302) conditioning. Results and Conclusion: Results of structural equation modeling indicated PTSD symptoms have a small relation to increased awareness of death whereas anxiety buffering variables did not mediate the relation between PTSD symptoms and awareness of death. Nonetheless, generativity and meaning in life, self-esteem, and social support were significant predictors of lower levels of PTSD.
Department(s)
Psychology
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2019.1695522
Keywords
anxiety buffer disruption theory, first responders, generativity, Posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, terror management
Publication Date
3-3-2020
Recommended Citation
Herr, David J. and Buchanan, Erin M., "Generativity and other buffers of death awareness in first responders" (2020). College of Health and Human Services. 665.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles-chhs/665
Journal Title
Anxiety, Stress and Coping
