Houck, J. A. (2005). The universal, multiple, and exclusive experiences of after-death communication. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 24(2) 117-127.
Abstract: Most of the research on after-death communications (ADCs) has been done from a qualitative approach, for example, using structured interviews (Devers and Robinson, 2002; Guggenheim and Guggenheim, 1996; LaGrand, 1997), which is an excellent way for people to begin telling their stories and comparing similar experiences with other bereft people. Yet there are other ways to measure the frequency and uniqueness of such experiences statistically, and to determine whether ADCs are random or purposeful to specific types of bereavement groups. As part of a larger research study on grief reactions and religious or spiritual coping methods in bereavement, I asked 162 bereft people to report if they have experienced specific types of ADC, as it related to their most recent death of a loved one (Houck, 2004). A frequency analysis indicated three common themes: (1) universality – that is, ADCs cutting across lines of gender, age, religious preference, education levels, time since the death, and types of death; (2) multiplicity – that is, people typically experiencing more than one type of ADC from the same loved one on different occasions; and (3) exclusivity – that is, the ADCs being experienced without the assistance of a third party, such as a medium, spiritualist, or shaman. I discuss implications of these findings for mental health and healthcare providers.
Copyright: © 2008 International Association for Near-Death Studies
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Topics:
Related Experiences—NDE-Like