Mortality
January 1, 1999
42 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs) lack a clear, agreed-upon definition and proper diagnostic tests. Researchers often confuse definitions, criteria for identifying NDEs, and tests of those criteria. Tests that describe common features, measure depth, or diagnose occurrence are used interchangeably, though they serve different purposes. Because no dichotomous diagnostic test exists, NDEs are defined by summing characteristic elements on scales—a circular approach that substitutes intervening variables for the phenomenon itself and ignores questions about the sensitivity and specificity of those elements. The field needs to identify the critical dimensions of NDEs, develop an accepted definition, and create a fixed-interval scale for measurement.
Mortality
January 1, 1997
38 citations
Belief in an afterlife has shifted from being grounded in theistic religious experience to being supported by Near Death Experiences (NDEs), which modern medicine has made more common. Historical accounts from St. Paul, St. John of the Cross, and Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism are compared with a large survey of contemporary NDEs. The author argues for establishing a prospective research project to test the objectivity of some claimed experiences.
Mortality
January 27, 2022
M. Pehlivanova, A. Carroll, B. Greyson
15 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are profound mystical events that often lead to dramatic reductions in fear of death. This research identifies specific features of NDEs that predict changes in death attitudes. Encountering mystical beings and having a life review during an NDE are the strongest predictors of reduced fear of death. Contrary to expectations, a sense of disembodiment does not correlate with changes in death attitudes. These findings may inform interventions to reduce fear of death in vulnerable populations, such as those at end-of-life, and are discussed in the context of Terror Management Theory.
Mortality
December 5, 2024
Pablo Sabucedo, Chris Evans, Donald W. Nicholson et al.
1 citation
A woman in her thirties grieving her father's death from cancer underwent nine sessions of Meaning Reconstruction Therapy that included two ayahuasca sessions and subsequent integration sessions. The intervention prevented the development of complicated grief. Analysis of therapy session content and psychometric measures taken before, after, and at a three-month follow-up suggests that meaning reconstruction, psychological flexibility, and maintaining a continuing bond with the deceased were key processes driving the improvement.
Mortality
October 25, 2024
Sara Mackian
Death in Western modernity is often seen as destabilizing and painful, but contemporary spiritual perspectives frame it as both an ending and a new beginning. Based on participatory fieldwork in the UK, this paper examines how Spiritualist practices and personalized tarot readings construct encounters with death. Practitioners believe in the agency of spirit in earthly life, resisting simple life/death dichotomies. Through three empirical examples, the paper shows how this lens creates alternative geographies and therapeutic relationships, opening up new possibilities in the space left behind. It encourages creative exploration of alternative narratives around death, spirit, and place.