Differences in After-Death Communications

A Comparative Analysis of Unexpected vs. Expected Deaths and Their Impact on Survivors’ Grief and Perception of Death

Dados Bibliográficos

ID13629318
AutoresThomas Jared McCormick, Tess H McCormick (Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA), Gwen Grams (Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA), Fatma A Wise (Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA), Madeline Burns (Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA), A C Charania, Ashna Charania (Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA), Noelle St Germain‐sehr (0000-0002-9398-6440, William & Mary), Noelle St Germain-Sehr (School Psychology and Counselor Education Department, William & Mary School of Education, Williamsburg, VA, USA), Chris A Roe (0000-0001-8294-4758, University of Northampton), Chris Roe (Centre for Psychology & Social Sciences, The University of Northampton, Northampton, UK), Callum E Cooper (0000-0002-4747-0363, Centre for Psychology & Social Sciences, The University of Northampton, Northampton, UK), David Lorimer (0000-0002-2476-4166, Independent researcher), Evelyn Elsaesser (0000-0002-1777-6345, Independent researcher), J Kim Penberthy (0000-0001-5717-2231, Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA, autor correspondente)
Ano2025
Páginas302228251376896-302228251376896
Data de publicação2025-09-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00302228251376896
PMID40906529
OpenAlexW4413983841
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas17

This study explores changes in grief and fear of death in individuals who reported after death communications (ADC) from people who died unexpectedly or whose death was expected. We found that those bereaved by unexpected loss reported significantly higher levels of uncertainty regarding changes in their fear of death compared to those bereaved by an expected loss. However, no significant differences were found in grief between the two groups. Most participants reported a positive impact of ADC on their bereavement, regardless of the type of loss they experienced. These findings underscore the impact of ADCs upon grief and emotional healing, regardless of whether the loss was unexpected or expected. The results of our study may inform understanding of the relationship between death, grief, and consciousness survival

Cause of death · Consciousness · Disease · Disenfranchised grief · Fear of death · Grief · Perception · Psychiatry · Traumatic grief · Clinical Psychology · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology