Theoretical/Conceptual Formulations 14
Organization of the Remainder of the Study 17
Types of Death Education Programs 26
Programs for Elementary/Middle/Secondary School Students 31
Findings Related to Ability to Cope with Death 54
Findings Related to Death Concerns 58
Findings Observed in Relation to Death Anxiety 64
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS 76
Death education consists of educational programs aimed at various age groups in order to teach students about dying. Such programs allow pupils to explore their own attitudes toward death, to become familiar with the ways various cultures deal with death, and to be sensitive to the emotional ramifications, both for dying people and for survivors.
The goals of death education programs can vary according to students' ages and needs. However, in general, the existing research supports the notion that most programs have the objectives of reducing general death anxiety, fear of personal death, and fear of others dying. Programs also attempt to teach students improved methods and strategies for coping with death.
Concerning the effectiveness of death education, the existing literature indicates that the degree to which children can understand death and how to come to terms with it may be constrained by their cognitive limitations. For example, at four years of age, children think egocentrically. As a result, they tend to believe that death is reversible, that dead people still think and feel, and that they will personally live forever. However, by about age seven, children come to understand that death is permanent and that a dead animal, person, or flower will not come back to life.
This study examined the effectiveness of a researcher-designed death eduction program for groups of fourth and sixth grade special education students. Based on the general goals of most death education programs, effectiveness was assessed using measures...