Attitudes of 60+refreshment university students on loss and mourning: Development and application of scale

Aim: This study aims at analyzing the attitudes that occur over 60 years old after the death of relatives or close friends. The participants are the students attending Refreshment University which is a part of Akdeniz University. In this study, it is also analyzed that the students' changing attitudes such deaths. Method: As a method, quantitative research design was used, and the data were collected via questionnaire. In that questionnaire, there are questions that are related to the death person, socio-demographic features. Besides, for evaluating the process, 'sorrow process evaluation scale' was used. After the normality test (Kolmogorov Smirnov), it was seen that the data was not normally scattered. So, Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U analyses were administrated. Findings: Participants age mean were 66,31±4.25 (min:60; max;95). In this study, demographic variables (except gender), features related to the death and the changing attitudes during the sorrow process. In the study there was no significant relationship between demographic variables and attitudes during the sorrow duration. But, it was found significant relationship between the variables, the time passing after the death event, experiencing similar death event before, whether the death even sudden ones or expected, meaning of life, needing professional or medical help and sorrow. Results: When demographic variables were analyzed, gender is an important factor that affects sorrow process. Female ones more affected than male ones such death events. The variables, the time passing after the death event, experiencing similar death event before, whether the death even sudden ones or expected, changing ideas related to the meaning of life, needing professional or medical help are potential risks on developing negative attitudes. Key Words: Grief, Lose, Death, Aging, Behavioral Disorders After Experiencing One's Death