How Meaning Turns Out-of-Body Experiences into Life Change: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are vivid and extraordinary events that may lead to psychological transformation, though not all individuals who report them undergo lasting change. This qualitative study explores when and how OBEs become transformative. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten healthy adults who had experienced spontaneous OBEs. Thematic analysis focused on three variables: frequency, phenomenological complexity, and subjective interpretation. Findings suggest that transformation occurred only in those who reported complex OBEs involving both displacement and entities) and interpreted them within a transcendental framework. Participants with simple OBEs or a psychological interpretation showed no major change. All reported difficulties sharing their experience, often fearing disbelief or judgment. This highlights the importance of creating non-pathologizing environments where individuals can make meaning of such experiences, since interpretation appears to mediate their transformative impact.