Marital Adjustment And Stability After The Near-Death Experience Of One Of The Spouses

Abstract

An extensive literature review on the aftereffects of near-death experiences (NDEs) indicated that very little is known about the relationship between the aftereffects of one spouse’s NDE and subsequent adjustment and stability in his or her marriage. In this presentation, the results of a retrospective study that was conducted to address this question will be discussed. This study included quantitative data as well as supplementary qualitative data used to analyze the self-reported adjustment in and stability of the marriages of NDErs before and after their NDEs compared to the marriages of people before and after a self-identified life-changing event (LCE) unrelated to NDEs. Implications for mental health professionals will also be discussed in this presentation.

Presenter bio

Rozan Christian, Ph.D., is a licensed professional counselor who holds a doctoral degree in counseling from the University of North Texas. She also holds a master’s degree in education from Southern Methodist University. For her doctoral dissertation, she conducted a study of the aftereffects of a near-death experience (NDE) on married couples’ relationships. She has presented information related to this topic at the International Association of Near-Death Studies (IANDS) annual conference. She also participated in the development of the Near-Death Experiences: Index to Periodical Literature. Dr. Christian is a member of the American Counseling Association and National Career Development Association. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas and has served as a guest speaker in the counseling program at Southern Methodist University. Dr. Christian maintains a private practice in Dallas. The focus of her private practice involves assisting her clients through life transitions, drawing from the research that she has conducted related to near-death experiences and life-changing events.