Death Acceptance Scale – DAS
Measures death acceptance, conceptualized as coming to terms with death and holding a positive attitude toward it.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Death Acceptance Scale – DAS was developed by J. J. Ray & J. Najman (1974). It is designed to measure Death Acceptance. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 7 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 7 to 49. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Death Acceptance: 7 – 21
- Moderate Death Acceptance: 22 – 35
- High Death Acceptance: 36 – 49
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of .58 – .70.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.