Separation of Church and Trait: Trait Death Anxiety is Universal, Distressing, and Unbuffered by Worldview in Emerging Adults.

We begin with a review of death anxiety in emerging adults and then report on a descriptive survey study using the Revised Livingston-Zimet Death Anxiety Scale (RLZDAS). Research questions dealt with the RLZDAS' factor structure, demographic patterns, and hypothesized correlations with distress and religiosity/spirituality. We surveyed university-enrolled emerging adults (n = 706). Findings included a 3-factor solution on the RLZDAS (cognitive, repressive, and affective) and no appreciable relationships with demographic factors. Clinical symptomatology was correlated with death anxiety (r = .40), particularly cognitive death anxiety (r = .45), especially in non-believers (r = .58). Religiosity/spirituality did not buffer death anxiety, and some components were actually positively correlated. We argue that death anxiety in emerging adults is multidimensional, clinically relevant, and relatively universal and that broad notions of worldview/belief are not necessarily protective factors.

Project STARLIT: protocol of a longitudinal study of habitual sleep trajectories, weight gain, and obesity risk behaviors in college students.

BACKGROUND: Obesity in the United States is a serious and preventable health concern. Previous research suggests that habitual short sleep may influence obesity-risk behaviors, such as increased caloric intake, decreased physical activity and increased engagement in sedentary activities (e.g., media consumption, computer usage). Given that existing longitudinal research studies have methodological concerns preventing conclusive interpretations, Project STARLIT was designed to address these limitations and identify future intervention targets. METHODS: A sample of young adults (n = 300) will be recruited during the summer prior to entering college. Participants will be screened for eligibility requirements prior to the inclusion in the Time 1 assessment though phone and in-person interviews. Once enrolled, participants will complete four assessments over a two year period (i.e., approximately 8, 16 and 24 months after Time 1). Each assessment will consist of one week of data collection including both objective (i.e., habitual sleep, physical activity, body fat composition) and subjective (i.e., sleep diary, 24-h food recall, technology use, and sleep-related beliefs/behaviors) measures. DISCUSSION: Project STARLIT is designed to address methodological concerns of previous research. In addition to clarifying the relationship between habitual short sleep and weight gain among young adults, the proposed study will identify problematic obesity risk behaviors associated with habitual short sleep (e.g., increased caloric intake, physical/sedentary activity). The results will identify prevention or intervention targets related to obesity risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04100967, 9/23/19, Retrospectively registered.