Abstract
Sensory and quasi-sensory experiences of the deceased (SED), also called bereavement hallucinations, are common in bereavement, but research detailing these experiences is limited. Methods: An in-depth survey of SED was developed based on existing research, and 310 older adults from the general Danish population participated in the study 6–10 months after their spouse died. Results: SED were reported by 42% of the participants with wide-ranging phenomenological features across sensory-modalities. In particular, seeing and hearing the deceased spouse was experienced as very similar to the couple’s everyday contacts before death. SED were endorsed as positive by a majority of experiencers, and the experiences were often shared with family and friends. Discussion: SED are conceptualized as social and relational phenomena, which may comfort the surviving spouse in late-life bereavement, but also provide tangible help to some experiencers. In clinical practice, SED may be considered a potential resource for the therapeutic grief process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Omega (United States) |
| Volume | 87 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 103-125 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| ISSN | 0030-2228 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2023 |
Keywords
- auditory-verbal hallucination
- continuing bonds
- post-bereavement hallucinatory experiences
- sense of presence
- survey
- Bereavement
- Grief
- Hallucinations/epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Humans
- Spouses
- Aged