Attitudes toward assisted-death services, perceived supporting norms, and emotional distress

Abstract

This paper summarises three studies examining the association between (un)favourable attitudes toward assisted-death services and emotional distress in contexts where the service is proposed, as well as the moderating role of norms supporting assisted-death services. In three studies, the participants (i.e., community members, veterinarians, and health practitioner students) reported their level of distress after exposure to scenarios of assisted-dying that are relevant to their respective contexts. We found that supportive norms (i.e., perception that referent group support the action) could reduce emotional distress from considering assisted-death contexts. In addition, in two studies, supportive norms were also found to strengthen the impact of attitudes, such that unfavourable attitudes toward assisted-death services were associated with emotional distress more strongly when norms supported the practice. We conceptualize assisted-death distress as a possible indicator of practitioner well-being risk, as well as a marker of practitioner and community acceptance of (or resistance to) the behaviour. https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/omega OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying