TY - JOUR
T1 - “More support, less distress?”
T2 - Examining the role of social norms in alleviating practitioners’ psychological distress in the context of assisted dying services
AU - Wibisono, Susilo
AU - Mavandadi, Payam
AU - Wilkinson, Stuart
AU - Amiot, Catherine
AU - Forbat, Liz
AU - Thomas, Emma F.
AU - Allen, Felicity
AU - Decety, Jean
AU - Noonan, Kerrie
AU - Minto, Kiara
AU - Breen, Lauren J.
AU - Kho, Madison
AU - Crane, Monique
AU - Lizzio-Wilson, Morgana
AU - Molenberghs, Pascal
AU - Louis, Winnifred
PY - 2024/4/10
Y1 - 2024/4/10
N2 - This study explores how providing assisted dying services affects the psychological distress of practitioners. It investigates the influence of professional norms that endorse such services within their field. Study 1 included veterinarians (N = 137, 75.2% female, Mage = 43.1 years, SDage = 12.7 years), and Study 2 health practitioner students (N = 386, 71.0% female, Mage = 21.0 years, SDage = 14.4 years). In both studies, participants indicated their degree of psychological distress following exposure to scenarios depicting assisted dying services that were relevant to their respective situations. In Study 1, we found that higher willingness to perform animal euthanasia was associated with lower distress, as were supportive norms. In Study 2, a negative association between a greater willingness to perform euthanasia and lower psychological distress occurred only when the provision of such services was supported by professional norms. In conclusion, psychological distress is buffered by supportive professional norms.
AB - This study explores how providing assisted dying services affects the psychological distress of practitioners. It investigates the influence of professional norms that endorse such services within their field. Study 1 included veterinarians (N = 137, 75.2% female, Mage = 43.1 years, SDage = 12.7 years), and Study 2 health practitioner students (N = 386, 71.0% female, Mage = 21.0 years, SDage = 14.4 years). In both studies, participants indicated their degree of psychological distress following exposure to scenarios depicting assisted dying services that were relevant to their respective situations. In Study 1, we found that higher willingness to perform animal euthanasia was associated with lower distress, as were supportive norms. In Study 2, a negative association between a greater willingness to perform euthanasia and lower psychological distress occurred only when the provision of such services was supported by professional norms. In conclusion, psychological distress is buffered by supportive professional norms.
KW - Assisted dying
KW - Health practitioners
KW - Psychological distress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190407581&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/DP190100952
U2 - 10.1080/07481187.2024.2337189
DO - 10.1080/07481187.2024.2337189
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85190407581
SN - 0748-1187
JO - Death Studies
JF - Death Studies
ER -