Author: Saliha Sohail
Supervisor: Dr. Aisha Sitwat
Degree: MS
Year: 2008-2010
University: Centre for Clinical Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
The focus of the present study was to find differences in the level of depression, death anxiety and religiosity among three groups highly affected (injured), highly exposed (operations team duties on high threat positions) and indirectly exposed (Investigation team) of police employees made on the basis of level of exposure to terrorists’ attacks in Lahore city. Further aim was to explore the relationship of death anxiety, depression and religiosity among these three groups of police employees. Those who met the criteria for the level of exposure to the traumatic events and also gave consent for participating in the research were recruited for the study. A sample of 243 male police employees was collected. 100 participants were taken from investigation team who were considered indirectly exposed to traumatic events, 100 from operations team i.e., from highly exposed group and 43 participants were from injured group i.e., highly affected group were taken. The data was collected through individual administration. The tools used in the study were the Urdu version of Leming’s Fear of Death Anxiety Scale, Religious Activity Scale (RAS), Urdu version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and demographic form. ANOVA was carried out to find the difference in the level of depression, death anxiety and religiosity among three groups with varying degrees of exposure to traumatic events. Results indicate that in death anxiety categories operations team and injured group were significantly different from investigation team on fear of finality (L6) aspect. However, operations and investigation teams were significantly different from injured group on fear of leaving loved ones (L7).Whereas operations team was significantly different from investigation team on fear of fate of the body (L8). There was no effect of participants’ level of exposure among all three groups on depression and religiosity. Correlation analysis showed that in operations team depression had significant positive correlation with fear of pain (L2) and fear of finality of death (L6). Religiosity had significant negative correlation with fear of isolation/separation (L4) and fear of leaving loved ones (L6). However, for investigation team there was no correlation between depression, religiosity and any aspect of death anxiety. Though, in injured group depression had significant positive correlation with death anxiety aspects of fear of indignity (L3) and fear of finality of death (L6), whereas religiosity was not correlated with any aspects of death anxiety.
Keywords: Depression, Death Anxiety, Trauma. Police.
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