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Beyond belief: Advancing death education through children's experiences of non-corporeal continuation.

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Title: Beyond belief: Advancing death education through children's experiences of non-corporeal continuation.
Authors: Adams, Kate (AUTHOR), Thomas, Donna (AUTHOR), Paige, Rachael (AUTHOR)
Source: Death Studies. 2026, Vol. 50 Issue 6, p895-909. 15p.
Subjects: Thanatology, Attitudes toward death, Life, Fear, Parapsychology, Mental health, Psychology of school children, Psychology of high school students, Cultural competence, Near-death experiences in children, Psychological adaptation, Attitude (Psychology), Spirituality, Memory, Health education, Social support
Abstract: Proponents of death education in schools acknowledge that children understand the biological aspects of death, and many hold co-existing beliefs in non-corporeal continuation. This paper offers originality by highlighting a gap in the death education literature, arguing that to increase curriculum relevance, we need to move beyond considering children's "beliefs about" life after death/before life to also acknowledge their "experiences of" it. Using thanatological principles, it draws from different disciplines to document children and young people's encounters with other lives, including: communicating with the deceased in waking and dream life; having near death experiences (NDEs); and remembering past lives. The implications of including non-corporeal continuation in the curriculum are explored. While challenges are acknowledged, the paper argues that the topic contributes to a meaningful curriculum by foregrounding a child-centered approach which privileges their voice(s) and agency. Simultaneously, it can potentially alleviate some of the fears about discussing death in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Death Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Beyond belief: Advancing death education through children's experiences of non-corporeal continuation.
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adams%2C+Kate%22">Adams, Kate</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thomas%2C+Donna%22">Thomas, Donna</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paige%2C+Rachael%22">Paige, Rachael</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Death+Studies%22">Death Studies</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 50 Issue 6, p895-909. 15p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thanatology%22">Thanatology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+toward+death%22">Attitudes toward death</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Life%22">Life</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fear%22">Fear</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parapsychology%22">Parapsychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+school+children%22">Psychology of school children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+high+school+students%22">Psychology of high school students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+competence%22">Cultural competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Near-death+experiences+in+children%22">Near-death experiences in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+adaptation%22">Psychological adaptation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spirituality%22">Spirituality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+education%22">Health education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+support%22">Social support</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Proponents of death education in schools acknowledge that children understand the biological aspects of death, and many hold co-existing beliefs in non-corporeal continuation. This paper offers originality by highlighting a gap in the death education literature, arguing that to increase curriculum relevance, we need to move beyond considering children's "beliefs about" life after death/before life to also acknowledge their "experiences of" it. Using thanatological principles, it draws from different disciplines to document children and young people's encounters with other lives, including: communicating with the deceased in waking and dream life; having near death experiences (NDEs); and remembering past lives. The implications of including non-corporeal continuation in the curriculum are explored. While challenges are acknowledged, the paper argues that the topic contributes to a meaningful curriculum by foregrounding a child-centered approach which privileges their voice(s) and agency. Simultaneously, it can potentially alleviate some of the fears about discussing death in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Death Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194165683
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/07481187.2025.2556113
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 895
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Thanatology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitudes toward death
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Life
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parapsychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of school children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of high school students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Near-death experiences in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological adaptation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spirituality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social support
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Beyond belief: Advancing death education through children's experiences of non-corporeal continuation.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
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            NameFull: Adams, Kate
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          Name:
            NameFull: Thomas, Donna
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            NameFull: Paige, Rachael
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: 2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 07481187
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              Value: 50
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Death Studies
              Type: main
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