Subjective nearness to death and end-of-life anxieties: the moderating role of ageism

ABSTRACTObjectives: Subjective nearness to death (SNtD), or individuals' subjective evaluation of how close they are to death, has been demonstrated to be an important predictor for different aspects of the individual's aging process across the life cycle. However, the relationship between SNtD and anxieties linked with the aging process has not been examined among individuals who may be in the initial stages of experiencing the first physical and cognitive signs of aging. Thus, this study examined the association between SNtD and aging, dying, and death anxieties. Moreover, the role of ageism, or negative attitudes toward older adults, as a moderator for these perceptions regarding the end of life has not been addressed. Moreover, we examined whether ageism serves as a moderator for the aforementioned association.Method: A convenience sample of 1146 Israeli participants, ranging in age from 45 to 65, filled out scales assessing SNtD, aging anxiety, dying anxiety, death anxiety, and ageism.Results: High l...