Differences in After-Death Communications

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

Bibliographic Data

ID13629318
AuthorsThomas 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, corresponding author)
Year2025
Pages302228251376896-302228251376896
Publication date2025-09-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00302228251376896
PMID40906529
OpenAlexW4413983841
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

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