Death and Dying: An Investigation of Factors that Influence Support for Euthanasia among Thai People

Abstract

The present study investigated how Thai people regard euthanasia and their level of support for different types of euthanasia (e.g., active versus passive, voluntary versus non-voluntary). A total of 1,928 participants voluntarily filled in the study’s questionnaire. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis of the Euthanasia Scale (Ho, 1998) identified and confirmed a two-factor structure that emphasized the voluntary-non-voluntary dimensions of euthanasia. The findings also parallel those obtained from Ho’s (1998) Australian study and suggest that Thais and Australians hold similar beliefs about the concept of autonomy, a concept that emphasizes the individual’s right to make decisions for themselves on the style and quality of their lives.