The relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and death anxiety: The mediating role of obsessive beliefs

Introduction: For many people, death anxiety brings a lot of fear and panic, and it is very important to investigate the factors influencing its formation and continuation. The purpose of this study was to explore the mediating role of obsessive beliefs in the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and death anxiety in adulthood. Materials and Methods: The present study employed a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling. The statistical population comprised Iranian adults residing in Mashhad, Iran in 2022, of whom 340 individuals were selected as the research sample through convenient sampling. Data were collected online using the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44). The data were analyzed utilizing the Pearson correlation method and structural equation analysis through SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. Results: The results revealed a significant correlation (P 0.01) between traumatic childhood experiences and obsessive beliefs, indicating a noteworthy association with death anxiety. The results of structural equation modeling also demonstrated a satisfactory fit for the model in this study. Furthermore, the mediating role of obsessive beliefs in the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and death anxiety was found to be significant, with a χ2/df≤ 3 and a significance level of 0.001. Conclusion: According to the findings, traumatic childhood experiences can predict and affect death anxiety through interaction with obsessive beliefs.