Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Sep 1;210(9):692-696.
doi: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001521. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Persistence of Attitude Changes After Near-Death Experiences: Do They Fade Over Time?

Bruce Greyson  1
Affiliations

Persistence of Attitude Changes After Near-Death Experiences: Do They Fade Over Time?

Bruce Greyson. J Nerv Ment Dis. .

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. Sixty-three 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.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Athappilly GK, Greyson B, Stevenson I (2006) Do prevailing societal models influence reports of near-death experiences? A comparison of accounts reported before and after 1975. J Nerv Ment Dis . 194:218–222.
    1. Beauregard M, Courtemanche J, Paquette V (2009) Brain activity in near-death experiencers during a meditative state. Resuscitation . 80:1006–1010.
    1. Brodie BC (1865) The works of Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie . London, UK: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green.
    1. Charlier P (2014) Oldest medical description of a near death experience (NDE), France, 18th century. Resuscitation . 85:e155.
    1. Du Monchaux PJ (1766) Anecdotes de medicine ou choix de faits singuliers qui ont rapport à l ' anatomie, la pharmacie, l ' histoire naturelle, et auxquelles on a joint des anecdotes concernant les médicins les plus célèbres . Lille, France: JB Henry.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources