Experiencing the Presence of the Dead: Discrepancies in “The Sensing Experience” and Their Psychological Concomitants

Abstract

Relationships between experiencing “the presence of the dead” and psychological outcome parameters were studied in thirty-nine widows, early in bereavement and twelve months later. Self-evaluation of coping, expectancies about future coping, and scores on psychological standard questionnaires (“Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale” (STAI), “Goldberg Health Questionnaire” (GHQ), “General Well-Being Schedule” (GWB), “Sjõberg Measurement of Mood” (SJO) and “Life Style Index” (LSI) were used as indicators of outcome. A majority of the widows reported “sensing experiences” at both occasions. The sensing experiences were categorized as being “neutral to slightly positive,” “extremely positive,” and “extremely negative.” “Extremely positive,” and “extremely negative” experiences were found to be associated with poor adaptational outcomes, whereas “neutral to slightly positive experiences” and no sensing experiences were associated with good outcomes. The nature of the sensing experience, therefore, seems to predict adaptation after bereavement.