Qualitative thematic analysis of the phenomenology of near-death experiences
Héléna Cassol, Benoît Pétré, Sophie Degrange, Charlotte Martial, Vanessa Charland-Verville, François Lallier, Isabelle Bragard, Michèle Guillaume, Steven Laureys
PLoS One February 14, 2018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | Cardiac arrest survivors |
| Topics | Near-death experience Philosophy of mind |
| Citations | 131 |
| Key findings | The analysis identified 10 time-bounded themes of isolated events and 1 transversal theme of self-reflection in near-death experience narratives. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) refer to profound psychological events that can have an important impact on the experiencers' (NDErs) lives. Previous studies have shown that NDEs memories are phenomenologically rich. In the present study, we therefore aimed to extract the common themes (referred to as "features" in the NDE literature) reported by NDErs by analyzing all the concepts stored in the narratives of their experiences. A qualitative thematic analysis has been carried out on 34 cardiac arrest survivors' NDE narratives. Our results shed the light on the structure of the narratives by identifying 10 "time-bounded" themes which refer to isolated events encountered during the NDE and 1 "transversal" theme which characterizes the whole narrative and generally appears as a retrospective comment of self-reflection on the experience. The division of narratives into themes provides us with detailed information about the vocabulary used by NDErs to describe their experience. This established thematic method enables a rigorous description of the phenomenon, ensuring the inclusion of all self-reported manifestations of themes in narratives.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Thematic analysis of NDE narratives identified 10 time-bounded themes of isolated events and one transversal theme of self-reflection.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do Suicide Survivors Report Near-Death Experiences? Persons who had been close to death as a result of a suicide attempt | 1982 | Qualitative study | n = 36 |
| The evolving self: finding meaning in near-death experiences using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Female participants who had near-death experiences | 2008 | Qualitative study | n = 3 |
| Investigation of the phenomenology, physiology and impact of spiritually transformative experiences - kundalini awakening. Persons having a spiritually transformative experience (e.g., spontaneous energetic... | 2021 | Qualitative study | |
| Near-death experiences and religion: A further investigation Near-death experiencers | 1984 | Qualitative study | n = 40 |
| Near-death experiences in Thailand. Thai individuals reporting near-death experiences | 2001 | Qualitative study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 30
- Neurochemical models of near-death experiences: A large-scale study based on the semantic similarity of written reports. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2019
- Near-Death Experience as a Probe to Explore (Disconnected) Consciousness Trends in Cognitive Sciences January 22, 2020
- Virtual mortality and near-death experience after a prolonged exposure in a shared virtual reality may lead to positive life-attitude changes PLoS One November 5, 2018
- The Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale: Development and psychometric validation Consciousness and Cognition November 1, 2020
- A systematic analysis of distressing near-death experience accounts Memory June 12, 2019
and 25 more in the library
Cites 20
- Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands The Lancet December 1, 2001
- The Near-Death Experience Scale The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease June 1, 1983
- Distressing Near-Death Experiences Psychiatry February 1, 1992
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death The Lancet November 1, 1990
and 15 more in the library