Persistence of Attitude Changes After Near-Death Experiences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare attitude changes reported by people who described near-death experiences (NDEs) at two periods two decades apart, to ascertain whether the attitude changes persisted over time. Participants completed the Life Changes Inventory (LCI) upon entry into the study and again two decades later, and the NDE Scale to quantify depth of the experience. Sixtythree participants (mean age at entry into study, 46 ± 10 years) had scores on the NDE Scale typical of other near-death experiencers. Scores on the LCI showed significant changes in attitudes toward life and death both on entry into the study and two decades later. LCI scores showed no significant change over that period, nor was there a significant correlation between change in LCI scores and time elapsed between the two administrations. NDEs appear to be unusual in the long-term persistence of attitude changes.

Near‐Death Experience During Emergency Ketamine Use: A Case Report

“…These positive changes persisted into the second interview, during which the patient also described becoming more sensitive, with an increased sense of empathy, and expressed a heightened belief in love and its importance. These changes align with commonly reported aftereffects of NDEs (Greyson 2022;Groth-Marnat and Summers 1998).…”

Near‐Death Experience During Emergency Ketamine Use: A Case Report

“…These positive changes persisted into the second interview, during which the patient also described becoming more sensitive, with an increased sense of empathy, and expressed a heightened belief in love and its importance. These changes align with commonly reported aftereffects of NDEs (Greyson 2022;Groth-Marnat and Summers 1998).…”

Near-Death Experiences and Sleep Disturbance

“…Furthermore, the NDE group had significantly higher posttraumatic growth scores than other groups, suggesting enduring positive psychological change—findings that accord with a large body of research describing the beneficial and transformative effects of NDEs ( e.g. , Greyson, 2022; Van Lommel et al, 2001). These findings cast further doubt on claims that SSM is related to psychological distress or dysfunction (Castelnovo et al, 2021; Harvey and Tang, 2012).…”

“…Near-death experiencers have described not just reduced sleep but a decreased need for sleep (Lindsay and Tassell-Matamua, 2020), perhaps associated with the oft reported renewed energy and zest for life (Greyson, 2022; van Lommel et al, 2001). Thus, although objective sleep duration does not appear to differ between groups, it may be possible that revised perceptions of the function and importance of sleep may affect subjective estimations.…”

Effects of psilocybin on personality, psychiatric symptoms, and values: Exploring mediating effects of the acute psychedelic experience

“…These scales show some overlap with some subscales of the LCI, including those that did show change in this analysis, questioning the validity of the LCI as a measure of change. Relatedly, although the LCI is the most widely used instrument for quantifying changes in values following near-death experiences ( Greyson and Ring, 2004 ) and changes in values have been shown to persist long-term ( Greyson, 2022 ), it has rarely been used to assess values after psychedelic experiences and has not been validated in this context.…”

Near‐Death Experience During Emergency Ketamine Use: A Case Report

“…These positive changes persisted into the second interview, during which the patient also described becoming more sensitive, with an increased sense of empathy, and expressed a heightened belief in love and its importance. These changes align with commonly reported aftereffects of NDEs (Greyson 2022;Groth-Marnat and Summers 1998).…”

Near-Death Experiences and Sleep Disturbance

“…Furthermore, the NDE group had significantly higher posttraumatic growth scores than other groups, suggesting enduring positive psychological change—findings that accord with a large body of research describing the beneficial and transformative effects of NDEs ( e.g. , Greyson, 2022; Van Lommel et al, 2001). These findings cast further doubt on claims that SSM is related to psychological distress or dysfunction (Castelnovo et al, 2021; Harvey and Tang, 2012).…”

“…Near-death experiencers have described not just reduced sleep but a decreased need for sleep (Lindsay and Tassell-Matamua, 2020), perhaps associated with the oft reported renewed energy and zest for life (Greyson, 2022; van Lommel et al, 2001). Thus, although objective sleep duration does not appear to differ between groups, it may be possible that revised perceptions of the function and importance of sleep may affect subjective estimations.…”

Effects of psilocybin on personality, psychiatric symptoms, and values: Exploring mediating effects of the acute psychedelic experience

“…These scales show some overlap with some subscales of the LCI, including those that did show change in this analysis, questioning the validity of the LCI as a measure of change. Relatedly, although the LCI is the most widely used instrument for quantifying changes in values following near-death experiences ( Greyson and Ring, 2004 ) and changes in values have been shown to persist long-term ( Greyson, 2022 ), it has rarely been used to assess values after psychedelic experiences and has not been validated in this context.…”

Near‐Death Experience During Emergency Ketamine Use: A Case Report

“…These positive changes persisted into the second interview, during which the patient also described becoming more sensitive, with an increased sense of empathy, and expressed a heightened belief in love and its importance. These changes align with commonly reported aftereffects of NDEs (Greyson 2022;Groth-Marnat and Summers 1998).…”

Near-Death Experiences and Sleep Disturbance

“…Furthermore, the NDE group had significantly higher posttraumatic growth scores than other groups, suggesting enduring positive psychological change—findings that accord with a large body of research describing the beneficial and transformative effects of NDEs ( e.g. , Greyson, 2022; Van Lommel et al, 2001). These findings cast further doubt on claims that SSM is related to psychological distress or dysfunction (Castelnovo et al, 2021; Harvey and Tang, 2012).…”

“…Near-death experiencers have described not just reduced sleep but a decreased need for sleep (Lindsay and Tassell-Matamua, 2020), perhaps associated with the oft reported renewed energy and zest for life (Greyson, 2022; van Lommel et al, 2001). Thus, although objective sleep duration does not appear to differ between groups, it may be possible that revised perceptions of the function and importance of sleep may affect subjective estimations.…”

Effects of psilocybin on personality, psychiatric symptoms, and values: Exploring mediating effects of the acute psychedelic experience

“…These scales show some overlap with some subscales of the LCI, including those that did show change in this analysis, questioning the validity of the LCI as a measure of change. Relatedly, although the LCI is the most widely used instrument for quantifying changes in values following near-death experiences ( Greyson and Ring, 2004 ) and changes in values have been shown to persist long-term ( Greyson, 2022 ), it has rarely been used to assess values after psychedelic experiences and has not been validated in this context.…”