A Study on Death Anxiety and Its Impact on the Mental Health of Students

Abstract

Competitive exams are a gateway to prestigious careers but often impose immense psychological pressure on students. This study examines the impact of death anxiety on mental health among students preparing for competitive exams. Using a sample of 120 college students from Parbhani, Maharashtra (60 males and 60 females; age range: 20-24), the study employed the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI) to assess the relationship between death anxiety and various mental health dimensions, including emotional stability, overall adjustment, autonomy, security-insecurity, self-concept, and intelligence. Results revealed that students with high death anxiety scored significantly lower on emotional stability (M = 8.09), overall adjustment (M = 27.46), autonomy (M = 7.09), self-concept (M = 8.07), and intelligence (M = 20.37) compared to their low-death-anxiety counterparts. Conversely, students with high death anxiety reported greater insecurity (M = 12.74). The findings indicate that heightened death anxiety exacerbates emotional distress, impairs cognitive functioning, and undermines self-esteem, leading to reduced overall mental health. This highlights the need for tailored interventions, such as mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy, to help students manage existential concerns and improve mental health outcomes.