ABSTRACT

Aim: This research is planned to identify the effect of exercise on death anxiety in women in the post-menopausal period.

Methods: This research is an experiment patterned study (Pre-test/post-test control group model). This model is a two-factor experimental design that shows repetitive measurements (pre-test- post-test) and subjects (experiment-control) in different categories. A total of 36 women voluntarily participated in the study in Erzincan, including 18 women in the experimental group who go through menopause and exercise, and 18 women in the control group who go through menopause and never exercise. The experimental group were given Pilates exercises 3 days a week for 8 weeks, and the control group were asked to preserve their daily lives without regular exercise. In the research, personal information form containing sociodemographic variables of individuals and the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) form adapted to Turkish by Akça, Köse (2008) were used as data collection tools. After identifying the distribution characteristics in the analysis of the data, paired t-test was used for in-group comparisons and independence sample t-test was used for intergroup comparisons in order to identify the effectiveness of the exercise program and to discover the difference between the first and last test scores of the groups.

Results: In the Death Anxiety Scale, the mean death anxiety score was found to be 8.66 as a result of the pre-test performed in the experimental group. And after the exercise, the mean score was 8.38. Although there was no statistically significant difference, there was a decrease in the death anxiety score averages. The mean pre-exercise death anxiety score of the control group was found to be 8.33. The mean post-exercise score was found to be 8.22.

Conclusion: There was no significant effect of 8 weeks of exercise on death anxiety. It is understood that even if exercise has some positive physical and psychological contributions on the subjects during this period, a strong anxiety such as death cannot be eliminated in such a short time.

Keywords: Exercise, Death Anxiety, Menopause