How long does this quiz take?

Most people complete this quiz in about 4-5 minutes.

Are my responses private?

Yes, all answers are anonymized and confidential.

Can I take this test more than once?

Yes, you can retake the test any time to see how your results may have changed.

Will this quiz diagnose an anxiety disorder?

No. This quiz is not a diagnostic tool, but it can help highlight patterns related to death-related anxiety.

Can my results help me manage these fears?

Yes. Understanding your fear patterns can be a useful first step toward reducing anxiety and seeking coping strategies.

This psychology quiz explores how strongly fears about death, dying, and the future influence your emotional well-being.

Death Anxiety Scale

How much does the idea of death weigh on your mind?

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | Last Updated: December 14, 2025

Reviewed by Jourdan Travers, LCSW

Thoughts about death are a natural part of being human, especially during periods of loss, stress, or major life transitions. For some people, however, concerns about mortality become persistent and emotionally distressing, interfering with concentration, sleep, or overall peace of mind.

The Death Anxiety Test examines how often death-related thoughts, worries about dying, and fears about the future influence your daily life. Rather than focusing on rare or extreme experiences, this scale looks at common emotional and cognitive patterns linked to death-related anxiety.

If you find yourself frequently stuck in worry loops or heightened sensitivity to fear-based thoughts, you may also benefit from exploring the Anxiety Sensitivity Test or the Morbid Curiosity Scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this quiz take?: Most people complete this quiz in about 4-5 minutes.
Are my responses private?: Yes, all Death Anxiety Scale answers are anonymized and confidential.
Can I take this test more than once?: Yes, you can retake the test any time to see how your Death Anxiety Scale results may have changed.
Will this quiz diagnose an anxiety disorder?: No. This quiz is not a diagnostic tool, but it can help highlight patterns related to death-related anxiety.
Can my results help me manage these fears?: Yes. Understanding your fear patterns can be a useful first step toward reducing anxiety and seeking coping strategies.

Death Anxiety Scale: Take The Test

Step 1: Rate Your Fear of Mortality

For each statement, indicate how much you agree on a scale of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). For best results, answer honestly and trust your first instinct.

1. Global threats or large-scale disasters make me feel unsettled.

2. Seeing or imagining death feels emotionally overwhelming to me.

3. I feel anxious when I think about what the future might hold.

4. I feel uneasy or frightened when I think about my own death.

5. Thoughts about dying come to my mind more often than I would like.

6. Conversations about death make me feel tense or uncomfortable.

7. The idea of medical procedures related to survival makes me anxious.

8. I worry about developing a serious or life-threatening illness.

9. I find myself disturbed by thoughts of death during quiet moments.

10. Thinking about how quickly life passes makes me feel distressed.

11. I am afraid that dying could involve significant physical suffering.

12. Questions about what happens after death trouble me deeply.

13. I feel fearful when I think about sudden medical emergencies.

14. I often reflect on how brief human life really is.

15. I worry significantly about losing control or becoming helpless if faced with a life-threatening situation.

Step 2: Enter Your Demographics

Provide your age, gender, region, and first name for a detailed report comparing your results to others.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Submit Your Death Anxiety Scale Answers

After completing all questions, click below to send your responses to Mark Travers, Ph.D. All answers are anonymized and confidential.

References

Templer, D. I. (1970). The construction and validation of a Death Anxiety Scale. The Journal of General Psychology, 82(2), 165–177.

Disclaimer

This scale is designed for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.