Proximal and Distal Antecedents of Funeral Attitudes: A Multidimensional Analysis

This study examined proximal and distal antecedents of funeral attitudes among 436 volunteers aged 18 to 88. Based upon a factor analysis which yielded two factors representing attitudes toward funerals, labeled Pragmatic and Emotional Impact, results suggested a multidimensional structure of funeral attitudes. As hypothesized, for both of these factors, as well as the measures defining them, proximal antecedents (e.g., grief and funeral specific variables) accounted for more unique variance in funeral attitudes than did distal antecedents (e.g., personality and sociodemographic characteristics). Implications for the funeral as an intervention in the larger context of bereavement adjustment are discussed.