Death contemplation and mental well-being in elderly Thai Buddhist meditation practitioners.
Narra J December 1, 2025 Alla Glushich, Justin DeMaranville, Tinakon Wongpakaran et al.
Among 332 elderly Thai Buddhist meditation practitioners (average age 68, 66% female), those who engaged in death contemplation reported lower depression, but not higher well-being or gratitude, after accounting for other factors. Positive attitudes toward death were strongly linked to lower depression and higher well-being and gratitude. The connection between contemplation and depression weakened when positive death attitudes were considered, suggesting that cultivating acceptance of death through contemplation may reduce depression indirectly by fostering positive attitudes. The findings highlight the importance of death acceptance for mental health in this population and suggest that integrating death contemplation practices into interventions could be a culturally appropriate strategy for supporting well-being among aging Buddhists in Thailand.