Terrorism catastrophization: An investigation of predicting and moderating factors

Research has shown that fear associated with ongoing terrorism threat can manifest as terrorism catastrophization (TC), however, factors that predict or moderate TC remain under investigated. The current study investigated whether death anxiety and prejudice significantly predicted TC, and whether perceived control, religiosity, and meaning in life moderated such predictors. Using multiple hierarchical regression analysis ( N = 382), the study's predictor hypotheses were both supported: death anxiety and prejudice significantly predicted TC. No moderators significantly altered death anxiety's predictability of TC. However, when examining the relationship between prejudice and TC, both religiosity and meaning in life significantly positively moderated the effect of prejudice on TC: perceived control was nonsignificant. Findings from the current study could inform TC reduction techniques by reducing death anxiety and prejudice.