CHILDRENS PERCEPTION OF DEATH AS A DEFENSIVE PROCESS

Investigated whether the distortion in the concept of death shown by latency-age children reflects a general limitation in cognitive functioning or a specific expression of cognitive failure due to a defensive process against anxiety. 27 suicidal, aggressive, and normal 10-12 yr olds were administered the subtest of similarities from the WISC, a questionnaire to assess the concept of death, and a questionnaire to assess the concept of life. A distortion in the concept of death was defined as an attribution of life to the state of death. There was no significant correlation between the ability for abstract thinking and distortions in the concept of death, whereas there was a significantly positive correlation between the ability for abstract thinking and scores on the questionnaire about the concept of life. Suicidal Ss showed distortion in the death concept more frequently than the other group, but they showed no inferiority in their ability for abstract thinking. Results favor the assumption that distortions in the death concept are specific and, therefore, can be attributed to a defensive process. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.