The effectiveness of 8A model death education on the reduction of death depression: A preliminary study

Abstract

Aim: Death education using the 8A model can reduce death distress and promote mental health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the 8A model death education programme for reducing death depression among nurses. The hypothesis was that participating in the 8A model death education programme would reduce death depression. Design: A pre-test–post-test intervention. Methods: Ten nurses were selected randomly from the intensive care units and critical care units wards of the Khatom-Al-Anbia General Hospital in Tehran, Iran. They completed the Death Depression Scale before and after intervention. The 8A model was conducted in six workshops weekly, each of 6 hr, for a total of 36 hr. Results: There was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test on the Death Depression Scale scores. Discussion: The 8A model appears to be useful for the reduction of death depression and the promotion of mental health in the sample. However, the model should be tested on larger samples and with a control group before concluding that the model is effective in reducing death distress.