This master’s thesis demonstrates an adaptation process of a survey research method that evaluates the relationship between death anxiety and religiosity into the Estonian setting. Three main objectives were set: (a) introduction of the theoretical reasoning, (b) preparation and execution of the pilot study, (c) exploration of the entire process to determine requirements for the main study. Theoretical and methodological basis are drawn from Jong and Halberstadt (2016) who’s central objective bases on the following questions: “are people afraid of death? Does death anxiety motivate religious belief? Does religious belief mitigate death anxiety?” (p. 47). In this paper two measures of survey questionnaire from the named authors were adapted (6 + 12 items) and an online pilot survey (n = 194) was executed. The intention of the pilot study was to test the reliability of the measures adapted. Satisfactory result was received—the adapted survey measures were found to be highly reliable. Cronbach’s alpha for the Existential Death Anxiety Scale was .939, and for the Supernatural Belief Scale .927. This shows that the main study is feasible.

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