The devil in heaven: A near-death experience with both positive and negative facets
Journal of Near-Death Studies September 1, 1988 DOI: 10.1007/bf01076748 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One individual who reported a near-death experience |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | The authors present a single near-death experience that started as a positive experience but then became negatively toned, dominated by fear and anguish. They argue that this case is theoretically important for understanding the relationship between negative and typical positive near-death experiences. |
Abstract
Although the considerable majority of reported near-death experiences (NDEs) are associated with positive affect, there are occasional cases of so-called negative NDEs that are dominated by fear and anguish. The phenomenological status of the negative experiences and their relationship to the more typical positive NDEs have been the subject of increasing speculation. In that light, the NDE described in this paper is of interest because it began to unfold as a positive experience but then changed course to become a negatively toned one. We present the details of this case and note its principal theoretical implications.