Combat near-death experiences: an exploratory study.

Combat near-death experiences (cNDEs) are not signs of mental illness. In a survey of 68 military personnel who survived close brushes with death during combat, 20 met criteria for a near-death experience. Compared to near-death experiencers from other studies, combat experiencers scored lower overall on the Near-Death Experience Scale and on its Affective and Transcendental subscales, but higher on the Cognitive subscale. On a measure of life changes, combat experiencers showed changes in the same direction as other near-death experiencers, but only changes in spirituality and total change showed medium effect sizes; other differences were small and not statistically significant.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to add to the professional literature regarding combat near-death experiences (cNDEs) and to help clinicians and experiencers (cNDErs) recognize this phenomenon as an experience that is not indicative of mental illness. cNDErs were military personnel whose NDEs occurred during active combat or sequelae. Sixty-eight self-reported survivors of combat-related close brushes with death completed an online survey that included the Near-Death Experience Scale(1) (NDE Scale), the Life-Changes Inventory-Revised(2), and a few open-ended questions. Respondents were 20 cNDErs-participants who scored at least 7 on the NDE Scale-and 48 non-NDErs. Compared to NDErs from two methodologically similar studies, cNDErs scored lower on Bonferroni corrected t-tests than NDErs on the NDE Scale overall(3) (p < 0.0003) and on Affective and Transcendental subscales; they scored higher on the Cognitive subscale(1) (p < 0.0007). In Life-Changes Inventory-Revised total change and six of seven value clusters, cNDErs, compared to non-NDErs, scored in the same direction as numerous other studies of NDE aftereffects, but none of the differences were statistically significant and all reflected small effect sizes except total change and changes in spirituality that reflected medium effect sizes--a finding that corresponded to analysis of narrative responses.