Rehabilitation Counselors' Experiences With Client Death and Death Anxiety

Rehabilitation counselors were surveyed to determine their experiences with and reactions to client death. Of the 153 respondents, 102 reported the death of at least 1 client during the previous 5 years. Respondents' death anxiety was investigated (as measured by the Templer Death Anxiety Scale) in relation to age, gender, training, interest in working with dying clients, and previous experience with client death. Findings showed that respondents younger that 44 years of age and people who did not want to work with clients who had a terminal illness had significantly higher levels of death anxiety. Implications of these results for rehabilitation practitioners and educators are discussed.