Can We Talk About Life Without Taking Death Into Account? Early Childhood Educators' Self-Perceived Ability to Approach the Topic of Death With Children.

This study investigates early childhood educators' knowledge, attitudes, and comfort regarding death education in classrooms in northern Greece, focusing on how gender and personal death attitudes influence their willingness to discuss death with young children. Data from 108 educators revealed that male educators and those with higher death avoidance and fear of death reported greater discomfort addressing death-related topics, while most participants agreed that death should be explained to children before they encounter it, though many viewed it as a difficult subject best handled at home. The findings highlight a lack of formal training in death education among educators and suggest that personal attitudes toward death significantly affect their approach to this topic. The study underscores the importance of incorporating age-appropriate death education and professional training to better prepare educators to support children facing loss or death-related trauma.