StudyprimarymethodologyVerified
The near-death experience scale: Construction, reliability, and validity
Bruce Greyson · 1983 · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 171(6), 369–375
Spiritual Evidence Map/Last updated May 10, 2026/Claims v1.0.0-provisional/Sources v1.0.0/Scores provisional
Summary
Construction and validation of the standard 16-item Greyson NDE Scale used by virtually all subsequent NDE research.
Why it matters here
Methodological backbone of empirical NDE research — without this scale most later studies could not be compared.
Linked claims
Evidence score 7/10
The life review is a real component of NDEs
A panoramic, often empathic re-experiencing of one's life — common in NDE samples, with strong moral aftereffects.
Evidence score 8/10
Near-death experiences are real, structured experiences
A consistent core experience — peace, light, life review, OBE — reported across cultures and prospective hospital studies.
Related evidence hubs
Topic hub
Survival & Afterlife
Evidence around dying, near-death experience, and what (if anything) continues.
Evidence pillar
Consciousness
The nature of subjective experience.
Evidence pillar
Survival after death
Whether anything of mind continues.
Evidence pillar
Near-death experiences
Structured experiences during cardiac arrest and crisis.