TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-transcendent experience
T2 - a grounded theory study
AU - Garcia-Romeu, Albert
AU - Himelstein, Samuel P.
AU - Kaminker, Jacob
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this research was provided in part by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant T32DA07209.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, © The Author(s) 2014.
PY - 2015/10/29
Y1 - 2015/10/29
N2 - Current theories in psychology conceptualize self-transcendence as a personality trait, a developmental construct, and a particular class of anomalous experience. Despite extensive research on self-transcendence, the process, outcomes, and nature of self-transcendent experience (STE) remain elusive. This study focused on the self-reported narratives of STE in 15 healthy adults. Accounts were collected in face-to-face interviews, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Qualitative results were recursively examined to construct a preliminary mid-range theory of STE in healthy adults. Three major theme areas emerged from interview data. These were (a) context, (b) phenomenology, and (c) aftermath of STE. Each of these major themes was further divided into distinct sub-themes, including setting, perceptual alterations, and long-term effects. The resulting interpretation of STE is discussed in light of current literature and directions for future research.
AB - Current theories in psychology conceptualize self-transcendence as a personality trait, a developmental construct, and a particular class of anomalous experience. Despite extensive research on self-transcendence, the process, outcomes, and nature of self-transcendent experience (STE) remain elusive. This study focused on the self-reported narratives of STE in 15 healthy adults. Accounts were collected in face-to-face interviews, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Qualitative results were recursively examined to construct a preliminary mid-range theory of STE in healthy adults. Three major theme areas emerged from interview data. These were (a) context, (b) phenomenology, and (c) aftermath of STE. Each of these major themes was further divided into distinct sub-themes, including setting, perceptual alterations, and long-term effects. The resulting interpretation of STE is discussed in light of current literature and directions for future research.
KW - grounded theory
KW - hallucinogens
KW - mystical experience
KW - psychedelics
KW - qualitative research
KW - self-transcendence
KW - spirituality
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U2 - 10.1177/1468794114550679
DO - 10.1177/1468794114550679
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84942307544
SN - 1468-7941
VL - 15
SP - 633
EP - 654
JO - Qualitative Research
JF - Qualitative Research
IS - 5
ER -