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Reduced death threat in near-death experiencers

Bruce Greyson

Death Studies November 1, 1992 DOI: 10.1080/07481189208252596 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed
Sample size 290
Population Adults who had near-death experiences, came close to death without NDE, or never came close to death
Topics Anxiety Near-death experience
Keywords Death anxiety Fear of death Cause of death Clinical psychology Disease Pathology
Citations 58
Key findings Death threat was significantly lower among individuals with near-death experiences than among those who came close to death without an NDE or those who never came close to death, and depth of NDE was inversely correlated with death threat.

Abstract

Abstract Near-death experiences (NDEs), profound mystical or transcendental experiences occurring on the threshold of death, have been reported to reduce fear of death and death anxiety. This study compared responses to the Threat Index, a widely used measure of the threat implied by one's personal death, of (a) 135 near-death experiences, (b) 43 individuals who had come close to death but not had an NDE, and (c) 112 individuals who had never come close to death. Death threat was significantly lower among those with near-death experiences than among the two comparison groups, and degree of death threat was inversely correlated with depth of NDE as measured by the quantitative NDE Scale. Self/ideal self discrepancy or, inversely, actualization, was not related to occurrence or depth of NDEs.

Comparable studies

Other cross-sectional and survey studies on near-death experience, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Fantasy Proneness Correlates With the Intensity of Near-Death Experience Individuals who have experienced a near-death experience (classical or NDE-like) and... 2018 Cross-sectional survey n = 228
A systematic analysis of distressing near-death experience accounts Individuals who had a near-death experience and wrote down their account 2019 Cross-sectional study n = 123
Near-Death Experiences in a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic Population Psychiatric outpatients 2003 Cross-sectional survey n = 832
Near-Death States Reported in a Sample of 50 Misusers Previous ketamine misusers who reported a ketamine-related near-death experience 2010 Cross-sectional survey n = 50
Prevalence of near-death experiences in Australia. General population of Australia 2005 Cross-sectional survey

Citations in the library

Cited by 23

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Anxiety Near-death experience Mystical experience Mysticism