Mar

5

Ryan’s Dissertation - Exploring the Integration of the Aftereffects of the Near-Death Experience

March 5, 2004 | posted by Ryan |

Exploring the Integration of the Aftereffects of the Near-Death Experience: An Intuitive and Artistic Inquiry.

This study explored, generally, the integration of the aftereffects of exceptional experiences. More specifically, this study explored the integration of the aftereffects of the Near-Death Experiernce (NDE), which was chosen as an exemplar in the broad category of exceptional experiences. Results indicate significant (statistically and subjectively) changes after participation in a four week small group process including spiritual guidance/direction and expressive arts. Implications include a proposed unique small group process to be used by spiritual guides/directors, expressive art therapists, and psychotherapists with clients who have had spiritually transformative experirences (STE; Kason & Deglar, 1994) or who have been diagnosed with an Axis V code of Religious or Spiritual Problem (V62.89; DSM-IV-TR, American Psychological Association, 2000).

Abstract Exploring the Integration of the Aftereffects of the Near-Death Experience: An Intuitive and Artistic Inquiry by Ryan Rominger This exploratory qualitative and quantitative study examined a small group process utilizing spiritual guidance and expressive arts as a means of integrating the aftereffects of the near-death experience. Eleven participants, six females and five males, ranging from 31 to 80 years old, participated in three small groups consisting of four sessions over a five-week period. Participants varied demographically, with eight participants reporting as Caucasian, one Indonesian, one multi-racial Mexican American, and one signified ?other.? Participant education averaged between a college degree and some graduate school, and religious preferences were three Catholics, one Jewish, one Eckankar, one Methodist, one Christian Mystic, and two reporting multiple religions practiced. Four participants experienced a near-death experience (NDE), with average time since experience being 27.85 years. Two participants, both near-death experiencers, entered the study and exited before completion. All participants completed the Near-Death Experience Scale (Greyson, 1983; 1984) as a screening measure to determine presence of an NDE. Participants completed a pre-test, initial post-test, and longitudinal post-test consisting of the Revised Omega Life Change Questionnaire (R-Omega; original by Ring, 1980), Human Spirituality Scale (HSS; Wheat, 1991), and Near-Death Experience Integration Questionnaire (NDE-IQ, post-tests only; author). Participants additionally completed semi-structured individual and group interviews. Expressive art pieces created during the sessions were collected, photographed, and used for identifying pictorial thematic content. Quantitative data were analyzed using predetermined non-parametric analyses included Spearman?s Rho Correlations and Wilcoxen Signed Ranks tests. Post-hoc analyses included the Kruskal Wallis test and Chi-Square Crosstabs. The HSS was further subjected to a one-sample t-test for comparison to normative data. Quantitative results indicated significant increases in spirituality, ability to listen to others, appreciation of nature, feelings of intimate connection and unity with a partner during sexual encounters, and an interest in self-understanding. Significant longitudinal increases were reported in ability to listen to others and interest in self-understanding. Qualitative interview material revealed a number of topics learned and experiences had during the small group process by both NDErs and non-experiencers, including a broader understanding of and ability to communicate about the near-death experience. Qualitative pictorial data revealed trends toward change particularly among low scoring NDE-IQ participants. Research signifies this small group process may be a potential means for spiritual guides, spiritual directors, expressive art therapists, and therapists working with individuals who have had an NDE or other spiritually transformative experience. Additionally, this study represents further use and expansion of transpersonal research methods for studying exceptional human experiences, including the initial creation of a measure for the integration of the aftereffects of the near-death experience.

[Posted in Research]



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