Near-Death Experiences and Posttraumatic Growth

Near-death experiences are associated with greater posttraumatic growth—positive psychological change after a trauma—than close brushes with death without such an experience. Among 251 survivors, scores on the Near-Death Experience Scale significantly correlated with scores on the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Interpreting near-death experiences as spiritual events supports prior research that spiritual factors contribute to posttraumatic growth and aligns with the model that challenges to one's assumptive worldview stimulate such growth.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Posttraumatic growth denotes positive psychological change after a traumatic experience that is an improvement over the state before the trauma. Inasmuch as it involves existential reevaluation, posttraumatic growth overlaps with spiritual change, although it also encompasses other domains of positive outcome. This study investigated posttraumatic growth and presence and depth of near-death experience at the time of the close brush with death among 251 survivors of a close brush with death, using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and the Near-Death Experience (NDE) Scale. Near-death experiences were associated with greater posttraumatic growth than were close brushes with death in the absence of such an experience, and scores on the NDE Scale were significantly correlated with scores on the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. To the extent that NDEs are interpreted as spiritual events, these findings support prior research suggesting that spiritual factors make a significant contribution to posttraumatic growth and are consistent with the model that posits challenges to the assumptive worldview as a major stimulus to posttraumatic growth.