The results supported the hypothesis that high ego integrity was related to lower fear of death. Subjects who scored high on the measures of ego integrity had less fear of death regardless of type of residence, whereas subjects with low ego integrity scores had a much greater fear of death when living in an institution than when living on their own (Goebel & Boeck, 1987). This suggests that ego integrity is, in fact, a powerful asset in coping with the ultimate stressor - death.

Goebel & Boeck (1987) theorized that people with high ego integrity have a stronger internal support system which helps them compensate for the reduced external supports in an institutional setting. Conversely, individuals with low ego integrity are more dependent on external support and tend not to c

The first two dimensions focus on modification of the situation, a Type A coping response. The second two focus on modifying the meaning of the situation, a Type B coping response. The third two focus on modifying the stress of the situation, also a Type B response.

The daughters seemed to feel the most burdened, possibly because many were just finishing raising their own children and had other family or career responsibilities. They rated help-seeking and respite time as more desirable and effective than either of the other two groups (Quayhagen & Quayhagen, 1988). Thus, the husbands and daughters are more prone to the Type A coping response style, while the wives lean more toward Type B, although this is not to say that coping strategies from the other type are excluded from the behavioral repertoire of any group.