Investigation of the phenomenology and impact of spontaneous After-Death Communications (ADCs)

The first objective is to describe the phenomenology of ADCs. The project will therefore answer the following questions: Who has an ADC? Under which circumstances? In what form (type)? How do these experiences unfold? What are the messages of ADCs? Who are the deceased persons allegedly initiating the contact? What was/is their relation with the recipients? Are there differences between countries? Research questions will be elaborated further on the basis of a thorough review of the existing research literature on ADCs.

The second objective is to analyze the impact of ADCs on recipients. The following questions will be addressed: How do recipients experience ADCs? What is the impact on recipients? How does it influence the grieving process? Does the national and social context influence individuals’ experiences?

The third objective will consist in disseminating the research results as largely as possible to the scientific community and the general public. By collecting information about how ADCs occur and unfold, and analyzing their impact on individuals’ lives, we aim at making these results accessible to people who face the death of a close relative, partner or friend, and to the broad public. Following an applied research orientation, we will emphasize in our conclusions the relevance of our results for the public, and highlight the possible policy implications. The research project will contribute to raising awareness about ADCs and have a practical impact on a large number of persons. Considering the lack of research and knowledge on ADCs, we expect the results of this exploratory research to open up further questions. Therefore the project could also enable us to specify new research hypotheses which may be pursued in the future in the frame of a large scale research, involving research teams in different countries.