‘I feel more spiritual’. Increased spirituality after a near-death experience
Natasha Tassell-Matamua, Kate L. Steadman
January 2, 2017 DOI: 10.1080/20440243.2017.1290030 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 135 |
| Population | Adults who self-identified as having had a near-death experience |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | Specific NDE features (cognitive, affective, transcendental, paranormal) correlated significantly with spirituality, while NDE characteristics (date, location, circumstance) did not. No significant correlations were found with religiousness. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) often precipitate a variety of aftereffects, which can include an increased sense of spirituality. While a large volume of literature attests to these changes, less is known about what aspects of NDEs might be most influential in this change. This study aimed to address this issue by investigating what specific NDE characteristics and features were related to spirituality and religiousness within a sample of 135 participants who self-identified as having had an NDE. While no significant associations were evident with NDE characteristics (i.e. date, location, and circumstance), results revealed significant correlations between specific features of an NDE (i.e. cognitive, affective, transcendental, paranormal) and spirituality. No significant correlations were evident between NDE characteristics and features and religiousness. Findings are discussed in relation to previous research and we suggest NDEs have much to contribute to advancing understandings of spirituality.
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 5
- Religious and Spiritual Changes After Near-Death Experience: A Survey-Based Study Among Urban Indonesians Religions March 12, 2026
- Worldviews and environmental ethics: Contributions of brain processing networks. Explore 2023
- Near-death experiences: the mystical feeling of “crossing over” and its impact on faith and spirituality The Science of Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism 2020
- Psycho-spiritual transformation after an exceptional human experience Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health June 8, 2018
- Does Learning About Near-Death Experiences Promote Psycho-Spiritual Benefits in Those Who Have Not Had a Near-Death Experience? April 3, 2017
Cites 29
- The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences Science August 23, 2007
- 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
- Attitude Change Following Near-Death Experiences Psychiatry August 1, 1980
and 24 more in the library