Death Anxiety, Religiosity, and Meaning in Life as Predictors of Relapse among Psychiatric Patients in selected Neuro-Psychiatric Hospitals in Southwest Nigeria

This study investigated the predictive roles of death anxiety, religiosity, and meaning in life on relapse among psychiatric patients. Data were collected from 86 participants from Ekiti State Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti and the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. The hypothesis was analysed using binary logisitcs with the aid of IBM-SPSS. Logistic Regression results showed that death anxiety dimensions significantly predicted relapse, χ²(5) = 18.11, p = .003, explaining 19–29% of the variance, with fear of death emerging as a significant negative predictor (OR = .86, p = .01). Religiosity dimensions were not significant overall, χ²(2) = 5.53, p = .06, although extrinsic religiosity contributed marginally (OR = 1.09, p = .04). Meaning in life alone did not predict relapse, χ²(1) = 1.23, p = .27. However, when all predictors were combined, the model was significant, χ²(8) = 26.40, p = .001. In the full model, fear of death (OR = .87, p = .01), neutral acceptance (OR = 1.19, p = .02), and intrinsic religiosity (OR = .88, p = .04) uniquely predicted relapse. The study concluded that lower fear of death and stronger intrinsic religiosity may reduce relapse likelihood among psychiatric patients