The Impact of Death Anxiety on Depression and Ego Integrity among Elderly Residents of Care Facilities: The Role of Social Support as a Moderator

Purpose: This study applies Turner’s Stress Process Model to examine the effects of death anxiety on depression and ego integrity among elderly residents in long-term care facilities, with particular attention to the moderating role of social support. Methods: Participants were 301 individuals aged 65 years and older residing in care facilities in P city. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistics version 27.0, including descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis. The PROCESS macro with bootstrapping was used to examine conditional effects, and simple slope analyses were conducted to illustrate significant interactions. Results: Death anxiety was positively associated with depression and negatively associated with ego integrity. Total social support did not significantly moderate the association between death anxiety and ego integrity. However, professional support, a subdomain of social support, significantly moderated the relationship between death anxiety and depression (β=.13, p=.014), such that the positive association between death anxiety and depression was stronger at higher levels of professional support. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the importance of addressing death anxiety and depression among elderly residents in long-term care facilities. In particular, the role of professional support within institutional settings should be carefully considered in developing mental health intervention programs tailored to this population.