Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) Experience and Near-Death Experience (NDE): Two Variations of a Single Phenomenon
Claudio Lalla, Fabio D’Antoni
Psychology International September 26, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/psycholint7030066 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 59 |
| Population | Adults who had previously undergone IADC therapy |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Near-death experiences nde Grief |
| Key findings | 86% of IADC therapy participants scored at or above the NDE threshold, indicating substantial phenomenological overlap between IADC experiences and NDEs. |
Abstract
Background: Induced after-death communication (IADC) experiences have been reported to share many phenomenological features with Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). This study aimed to empirically test the hypothesis that the majority of IADC experiences manifest a phenomenology that largely overlaps with that of NDEs.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational design with retrospective data collection was employed. Fifty-nine participants (M = 56.25 years, SD = 10.18) who had previously undergone IADC therapy completed the Italian version of the Near-Death Experience (NDE) Scale. Descriptive analyses and repeated measures ANOVA were conducted to examine total scores and differences across subscales.
Results: A total of 51 participants (86%) exceeded the established NDE threshold (≥7), with a mean total score of 14.69. The highest scores were observed on the Transcendental and Affective subscales, whereas the Paranormal subscale showed the lowest average scores. The Cognitive subscale exhibited intermediate values. Item-level analyses confirmed the high intensity of core NDE features, such as perceiving otherworldly environments, encountering deceased loved ones, and experiencing profound peace.
Conclusions: This study provides the first empirical evidence of phenomenological overlap between IADC experiences and NDEs. These results shed light on the processes underlying the effectiveness of IADC therapy.
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 |
| 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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 10
- 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
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences 2009
- The Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale: Development and psychometric validation Consciousness and Cognition November 1, 2020
and 5 more in the library