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A systematic analysis of distressing near-death experience accounts

Héléna Cassol, Charlotte Martial, Jitka Annen, Geraldine Martens, Vanessa Charland-Verville, Steve Majerus, Steven Laureys

Memory June 12, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2019.1626438 (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 123
Population Individuals who had a near-death experience and wrote down their account
Topics Dreaming Near-death experience
Keywords Distressing Narrative Dsm-5 Clinical psychology Psychotherapist Jungian analytical psychology
Citations 60
Key findings Distressing NDEs made up 14% of the sample, with a higher proportion of suicide survivors among them, and their memories were as detailed as classical NDEs.

Abstract

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are usually associated with positive affect, however, a small proportion are considered distressing. We aimed to look into the proportion of distressing NDEs in a sample of NDE narratives, categorise distressing narratives according to Greyson and Bush’s classification (inverse, void or hellish), and compare distressing and “classical” NDEs. Participants wrote down their experience, completed the Memory Characteristics Questionnaire (assessing the phenomenology of memories) and the Greyson scale (characterising content of NDEs). The proportion of suicidal attempts, content and intensity of distressing and classical NDEs were compared using frequentist and Bayesian statistics. Distressing NDEs represent 14% of our sample (n = 123). We identified 8 inverse, 8 hellish and 1 void accounts. The proportion of suicide survivors is higher in distressing NDEs as compared to classical ones. Finally, memories of distressing NDEs appear as phenomenologically detailed as classical ones. Distressing NDEs deserve careful consideration to ensure their integration into experiencers’ identity.

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
Reduced death threat in near-death experiencers Adults who had near-death experiences, came close to death without NDE, or never came... 1992 Cross-sectional study n = 290
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

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Dreaming Near-death experience Philosophy of mind