What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore how self-transcendence influences the relationship between perceived stress and death anxiety in older patients with myocardial infarction.

January 10, 2026BMC Psychology1 citationsOpen Access

Relationship between perceived stress and death anxiety with mediating role of self-transcendence among older patients with myocardial infarction

SHShayan HosseiniIsfahan University of Technology FMFatemeh MohammadiQazvin University of Medical Sciences ZHZahra HosseinkhaniQazvin University of Medical Sciences

Key Result

Facilitation of self-transcendent practices in cardiac rehabilitation can reduce death anxiety among older patients with myocardial infarction.

Key Points

This research aims to explore how self-transcendence influences the relationship between perceived stress and death anxiety in older patients with myocardial infarction.
Assessment of perceived stress and death anxiety levels.
Evaluation of self-transcendence as a mediating factor.
Recommendation for evidence-based interventions such as psychotherapy and mindfulness practices.
Self-transcendence significantly mediates the relationship between perceived stress and death anxiety.
Integrating self-transcendent practices in cardiac care can help reduce death anxiety among patients.

Structured PICO

Population

252 older patients (aged ≥60 years) hospitalized for myocardial infarction at the stage of hospital discharge in Qazvin, Iran. Mean age 66.98 years, 74.6% male.

Outcome

Relationship between perceived stress and death anxiety, and the mediating role of self-transcendence, measured via questionnaires (Templer Death Anxiety Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale)patient reported

Higher perceived stress increases death anxiety in older post-MI patients, but this effect is significantly mitigated by higher levels of self-transcendence, suggesting a role for meaning-centered psychological interventions in cardiac rehabilitation.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Based on the mediating role of self-transcendence, clinically, healthcare providers should assess for and facilitate self-transcendent practices as a component of routine cardiac rehabilitation. Policymakers and program directors should fund and integrate evidence-based interventions like meaning-centered psychotherapy or mindfulness-based stress reduction, which are known to cultivate self-transcendence, into standard post-MI care pathways to directly target the reduction of death anxiety.

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