Construction and validation of the death anxiety inventory (DAI)

Background. Over the last 40 years the study of human attitudes toward death has attracted much scientific interest and a significant amount of research has been carried out in the English-speaking world. However, among Spanish-speaking researchers the subject has been practically ignored, as has the issue of related psychometric instruments. The aim of this study was to develop the Death Anxiety Inventory (DAI) and thus provide a valid and reliable assessment instrument for measuring death anxiety among Spanish-speaking subjects. Methods: This study examined the psychometric properties of the DAI. The DAI is a self-administered questionnaire of 20 items that can be used in either a dichotomous true/false format or on a six-point Likert scale. The properties of both scales were investigated by means of six empirical studies and several samples. Results: The scale has an alpha coefficient of internal consistency of 0.90 and test-retest correlation, at 4 weeks, of 0.94. The correlation with Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was 0.79. Factor analysis of the DAI identified five significant factors. Taken together these factors explained 54.60% of the total variance and were labeled as: (1) Externally generated death anxiety, (2) Meaning and acceptance of death, (3) Thoughts about death, (4) Life after death, and (5) Brevity of life. The English form of the DAI is also presented in the study in order to enable cross-cultural comparisons to be made. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the DAI has adequate psychometric properties that make it a valid and reliable instrument to assess death anxiety in Spanish-speaking individuals.