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.
A systematic review of 37 studies on mantra meditation (including Transcendental Meditation) in healthy, non-clinical populations found that such interventions may have minimal to moderate beneficial effects on mental health outcomes like anxiety, stress, depression, burnout, anger, and psychological distress. Over 90% of the studies were rated as weak quality, limiting confidence in the findings. Mantra meditation might serve as a useful addition to workplace or educational wellbeing programs, but higher-quality research is needed.
Emotional exhaustion among healthcare professionals can increase medical errors and reduce patient satisfaction. This feasibility study tests whether random controlled trial methods can assess mantra meditation as a stress-reducing intervention for emergency department staff. Thirty eligible staff in the intervention group will learn mantra meditation in four 4-hour sessions over six weeks and practice 20 minutes of meditation twice daily; thirty in the passive control group will work as usual. Data on psychological wellbeing, blood pressure, heart rate variability, and salivary cortisol will be collected before, after the intervention at week 11, and at follow-up at week 19. The study aims to evaluate recruitment, retention, adherence, and data management before a full trial.