ISSN 0748-1187
10 papers in the library · 155 citations · publishing 1992-2026
Death Studies November 1, 1992 Bruce Greyson 58 citations
People who have had a near-death experience (NDE) report significantly less fear of death than those who came close to death without an NDE or who never came close to death. The deeper the NDE, the lower the death threat. The study measured death threat using the Threat Index and depth of NDE with a quantitative scale. Self-actualization did not relate to having or deepening an NDE.
Death Studies April 1, 2001 Emily Williams Kelly 53 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are often dismissed as evidence for survival after death, yet many experiencers become convinced of survival. This article examines survival and nonsurvival interpretations, focusing on reports of seeing deceased persons during NDEs. It compares 74 NDEs with such reports to 200 NDEs without them. Some findings could support either interpretation, but several findings weaken the main nonsurvival hypothesis of expectation. The convergence of features suggesting survival, along with the need for multiple alternative explanations in individual and group cases, warrants taking the survival hypothesis more seriously than most scientists currently do.
Death Studies February 2, 2023 Sam G. Moreton, Andrew F. Arena, Yolanda Foy et al. 19 citations
A meaningful psychedelic experience can reduce death anxiety, and that reduction appears to help explain improvements in satisfaction with life, positive affect, and negative affect. In a survey of 201 participants who recalled a meaningful psychedelic experience, reductions in death anxiety mediated the link between mystical experience and these well-being measures, but did not mediate effects of psychological insight. The findings are correlational and do not establish causation, but they suggest that decreased death anxiety may be one mechanism through which psychedelic-induced mystical experiences boost subjective well-being.
Death Studies January 1, 2025 Sam G. Moreton, Noah N T Barr, Kayla J Giese 14 citations
After a single significant psychedelic experience, people reported an overall reduction in death anxiety, although some individuals reported an increase. This reduction was linked to a stronger belief in panpsychism—the idea that consciousness is fundamental and pervasive in the universe. No other metaphysical beliefs, such as belief in an afterlife or materialism, were associated with the change. The findings suggest that shifts in metaphysical worldview, particularly toward panpsychism, may play a role in how psychedelic experiences alter attitudes about death, pointing to a specific mechanism for future research.
Death Studies February 23, 2005 Bruce Greyson 11 citations
Some people who say they have had a near-death experience (NDE) do not actually meet research criteria for one (false positives), while others who deny having had an NDE do meet those criteria (false negatives). The author assessed these false claims and denials in a group that promotes near-death research and among psychiatric outpatients. The rate of false positives and negatives differed depending on how common NDEs were in each sample and how much participants knew about them. Because participants' knowledge about NDEs can affect study results, using standardized criteria to identify NDEs is critically important.
Death Studies July 2, 2026 Rachel E. Menzies, Jessie Brown, Mitchell Turner et al.
Fear of death (death anxiety) is linked to disrupted sleep, but little research has examined its connection to insomnia and nightmares. In an online survey of 515 adults (70% female, 89% in Australia), higher death anxiety was associated with more severe insomnia. Attachment style did not significantly influence this relationship. Nightmare severity acted as a mediator, meaning death anxiety may contribute to insomnia partly through increasing nightmares. The findings suggest that addressing death anxiety could be a useful target for insomnia interventions.
Death Studies February 28, 2026 Xiuxin Wang, Xiaohan Hu, Mengyao Tian et al.
Reflecting on death—as opposed to fearing it—is linked to a greater sense of meaning in life. A survey of 501 adults found that people who engage in death reflection report both feeling that life already has meaning and actively searching for meaning. The connection between death reflection and feeling that life is meaningful occurs entirely through a sense of self-transcendence, or feeling connected to something larger than oneself. The link between death reflection and searching for meaning operates through two separate routes: self-transcendence alone, and self-transcendence followed by pursuing an authentic self. The findings suggest that how people think about death determines whether it enhances or diminishes meaning.
Death Studies January 18, 2026 Hatice Gül Öztaş, Esra Sabancı Baransel, Zeynep Aktaş
An eight-session Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program delivered over four weeks reduced stress and anxiety and increased self-compassion and prenatal attachment in pregnant women who had experienced a previous perinatal loss. Compared with a control group, women who completed MBSR scored lower on measures of pregnancy distress and subjective disturbance, with large effect sizes. They also reported higher self-compassion and stronger maternal-fetal attachment, both in time spent focusing on the baby and in quality of attachment. The results suggest MBSR is an effective intervention for this population.
Death Studies January 1, 2021 Luciano Pederzoli, Eugenia De Stefano, Patrizio Tressoldi
A retrospective analysis of 44 reported death experiences between incarnations from 36 participants during hypnotic life regression sessions found that these experiences closely resemble classic near-death experiences. Using the Italian Near-Death Experience Scale, most reports fell into the 'Affective' category, particularly feeling joy and seeing a bright light, and the 'Transcendental' category. The most common 'Paranormal' experience was feeling separated from one's body. 18% of total scores met the threshold for identifying true near-death experiences. Whether these accounts reflect actual experiences or learned narratives remains uncertain.
Death Studies October 1, 2017 Simone Bianco, Marco Sambin, Arianna Palmieri
People who have had a near-death experience (NDE) use both internal and social processes to make sense of the event and integrate it into their lives. Interviews with six individuals who reported an NDE revealed that both intrapsychic and interpersonal dynamics are involved in meaning-making, and that difficulties during integration often arise. A meaning-based therapeutic framework can help clinicians understand and support people who have had such experiences.