Psychedelic Research Study: Free Information Session (Online)

PsyT has partnered with Dr. Cody Wenthur at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to support a psychedelic research study! The study focuses on Psychedelic Outcomes at the Intersection of Environment, Self-Identity, and Success (POIESIS). 

Start the screening process HERE.

Therapeutic advances in mental healthcare disproportionately benefit white individuals at the expense of racial and ethnic minorities in the US is a long-standing problem. Systemic inequalities have only been magnified in modern trials underpinning the use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. 

While racial and ethnic minorities represent nearly 40% of the US population, only 11% of participants in psychedelic trials come from these groups. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has been widely suggested to represent a potentially transformational breakthrough in mental healthcare. But, the magnitude of these disparities is sufficient to raise serious concerns about the generalizability of results from ongoing, multi-site, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapeutic clinical trials to the US population overall, especially regarding these already underserved populations.

Beyond the general ethical and statutory failures this underrepresentation highlights, there are uniquely direct consequences for treatment efficacy that arise due to the lack of racial and ethnic minority enrollment in trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Psychedelics are proposed to act in part through their capacity to enhance the saliency of received information, leading to well-established interactions between participant mindset, treatment setting, and the ultimate clinical efficacy of the treatment. Racial and ethnic elements of self-identity have been shown to influence both acceptance of psychotherapy and suggested to act as implicit elements in defining 'set and setting'. In this way, the 'set and setting' of psychedelic drug administration can be conceptualized as a therapeutic filter. If a patient's self-identity is congruent with the set and setting presented during their dosing session, a therapeutic effect is expected. But if it is not, their outcomes will likely be worse. This is a serious mental healthcare equity concern, given that the Western, medicalized 'set and setting' currently employed has been validated using disproportionately white study populations. 

Therefore, the study proposes to address this inequality through a community-partnered, human-subjects research study employing original data collection via surveys, focus groups, and field experimentation. The study will deploy surveys gathering information on overall reactions and perceived self-identity connections to art objects and décor presently found in psychedelic dosing environments to racially and geographically diverse community partners, followed-up by debriefing and small focus group interviewing to discuss identified connectivity gaps and negatively perceived items.

Start the screening process HERE.

PsyT Disclaimer: Version January 2022

PsyT does not hold ceremonies or promote illegal activities during our events. This is not a place to seek, encourage, or participate in the procurement of controlled substances. You agree that you will not contact us for such things and will not engage in any such activities in your participation in any PsyT event. We provide a platform to discuss experiences that offer transformation in our personal and professional lives. You acknowledge that any information we provide is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 

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