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Psychedelic Christianity: Commentary and reply
Commentaries on: McCarthy & Priest (2024). Psychedelic Christianity: From Evangelical hippies and Roman Catholic intellectuals in the sixties to clergy in a Johns Hopkins clinical trial
Abstract
Background and Aims
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that affects a sizable proportion of U.S. civilians, military personnel, and veterans. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) is a novel treatment approach for PTSD that has both stirred media enthusiasm and drawn criticism. This critical review analyzes individual randomized, controlled trials of MDMA-AT and provides a narrative synthesis.
Methods
A library search and analysis of extant literature reviews was conducted to identify publications containing original research findings with inter-group statistical comparisons from randomized, controlled trials of MDMA-AT. Seven articles were identified. One pilot study was excluded due to a lack of inter-group comparison.
Results
To date, six (four Phase II and two Phase III) randomized, controlled trials of MDMA-AT have been published which met criteria for inclusion in this review. Study design, sponsor, recruitment methods, and participant demographics are similar across trials.
Conclusions
Five out of six reviewed studies provide evidence for the apparent safety and efficacy of MDMA-AT. However, the lack of suitable comparison condition, poor blinding, and rigid study design across trials make interpretation of results difficult. In addition, the high costs of MDMA-AT and lack of head-to-head comparisons with validated PTSD therapies cast doubt on its potential promise as a treatment. The role of the sponsoring organization behind all trials may further introduce bias into findings. Though research to date is encouraging, there is not yet sufficient evidence to suggest that MDMA-AT should see widespread adoption over current, validated forms PTSD treatment.
Abstract
Background
While there are calls to restrict the time spent on gaming because it is seen as problematic and potentially leading to gaming disorder (GD), there is conflicting evidence about this issue. We explored the association between the average weekly time spent gaming and reported GD symptoms. Additionally, Latent Profile Analysis was employed to investigate how time spent gaming relates to variables representing psychological distress (PD), such as satisfaction with life, symptoms of depression, and perceived stress.
Methods
Data were collected using surveys with a large sample of highly engaged gamers (N = 14,740; Mage = 24.14 years, SDage = 7.0, 89.3% males).
Results
We observed a positive, close to linear association between time spent gaming and GD symptoms. Groups at risk of GD played for about 42 h (SD = 19) on average, according to the American Psychiatric Association and World Health Organization frameworks. Furthermore, we identified four profiles representing varying levels of PD. Gamers reporting very high levels of PD (4.2% of the sample) played for 33 h per week on average. Remarkably, a substantial percentage of the sample (41.9%) showed no PD despite playing for 26 h per week.
Conclusion
The association between gaming time and PD is complex as even prolonged time spent gaming can be unproblematic for many gamers.
Abstract
Background and aims
Online communities provide insights into psychedelic consumption, assisting in identification of trends, informing both harm reduction provisions and clinical research. This study extracts forum data on psychedelic substances, dosages, and administration routes, categorising and analysing self-reported consumption to inform care services and guide clinical work with psychedelics.
Methods
Posts (n = 660) from online psychedelic forums (The Shroomery and DMT Nexus) on 'trip sitting' were analysed. Using a Delphi-style expert panel review facilitated by LE, we created drug weight and intensity charts (threshold, light, common, strong and heavy dosages) for psychedelics discussed in these posts. The psychedelic substance, dosage intensity and route of administration [ROA] (smoked/vaporised, oral, injected, insufflated and undisclosed) frequencies and exploring correlations with perceived need for assistance from a psychedelic carer were mapped and correlated with perceived need for psychedelic care.
Results
Psychedelics appearing in our data were 5-MeO-DMT, ayahuasca, changa, LSA, LSD and psilocybin. There was greater commonality between clinical studies and 'common' doses determined through the Delphi method, for more extensively researched substances like LSD and psilocybin. Many posts indicated opinions that psychedelic care was unnecessary or optional for consumers, particularly for LSD and LSA. 5-MeO-DMT was strongly associated with a perceived need for care. A correlation was identified between greater psychedelic purity, dosage intensity, and a perceived need for care. Oral administration, the most common ROA, showed lower dosage intensity.
Conclusion
More research is needed to understand factors influencing psychedelic care practices. Educational information, emphasizing risk management strategies, should be provided to psychedelic consumers, emphasising psychedelic products and administration methods more likely to be dosed at a strong or heavy intensity.
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is currently undergoing a resurgence of clinical interest for several mental health ailments. We propose that philosophers can play a significant role in PAT in both the preparation and integration phases of PAT. Philosophers can aid in the former phase by offering philosophical preparatory insights and in the latter phase by providing the conceptual language to articulate the complex philosophical aspects of a psychedelic experience.
Egy új sportolói állapotszorongás kérdőív, a SAS-2H adaptációja
Validation of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 among Hungarian Athletes
Háttér és célkitűzések: Jelen tanulmány célja egy új, sportpszichológiai állapotszorongás skála (Sport Szorongás Skála-2, Sport Anxiety Scale-2, SAS) magyar változatának pszichometriai vizsgálata és az új mérőeszköz reliabilitásának és validitásának ellenőrzése. Módszer: 361 sportoló vett részt a vizsgálatban (M age = 22,89, SD = 6,44). A fent említett kérdőív mellett a Feladat- és Énorientációs Kérdőívet és a Sport-önbizalom forrásai kérdőívet alkalmaztuk a validálás során. Eredmények: A megerősítő faktoranalízis a háromdimenziós elméleti modellt támogatta, megfelelő illeszkedési mutatókat kaptunk. A skálák belső konzisztenciája megfelelőnek bizonyult (Cronbach α = 0,83–0,93). A konstruktum validitás vizsgálata során a SAS-2 skálái szignifikáns gyenge kapcsolatot mutattak az énorientációval, de nem találtunk kapcsolatot sem az önbizalommal, sem a feladatorientációval. Következtetés: A SAS-2 magyar nyelvű változata megfelelő, megbízható és érvényes mérőeszköznek bizonyult a sportolói állapotszorongás felmérésére.
Abstract
Background
Previous international clinical trials have indicated that mystical experiences resulting from the consumption of classic psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, may represent a subjective psychological mechanism of action associated with therapeutic effects for various mental disorders. The revised 30-item Mystical Experience Questionnaire is one of several psychometric scales designed to evaluate such subjective experiences induced by psychedelic drugs. The field of psychedelic research is growing in Scandinavian countries, yet there is currently a lack of translated and culturally adapted Norwegian versions of rating scales for assessing psychedelic drug-induced states of consciousness. With planned and upcoming psychedelic research projects in Norway, there is a need for a Norwegian version of the MEQ30.
Aims
We aimed to translate and adapt the Revised Mystical Experiences Questionnaire (MEQ30) from English to Norwegian.
Methods
We used rigorous translation methods, including two independent forward translations, one back-translation, pilot testing on a small psychedelic user group (n = 6) and cognitive debriefing in an expert-panel (n = 6) to ensure a culturally adapted Norwegian translation.
Results
Our translation and adaptation procedure resulted in a final Norwegian version of the MEQ30.
Conclusion
The Norwegian MEQ30 is ready to be implemented in future Norwegian trials. Its psychometric properties have not yet been assessed.
Az újrakezdés bája: a Magyar Pszichológiai Társaság első konferenciái az újjáalakulás után
The charm of a new start: the first conferences of the Hungarian psychological society after the restarting of modern psychology
Az 1960-as évek fordulója a magyar pszichológia újjáalakulásának és újrafazonozásának izgalmas korszaka volt. A dolgozat a közvetlen háttér bemutatásával indul. Hogyan lett az 1952 novemberében alakult és 1958-ban megszűnt Pavlov Bizottságnak utóda az MTA elnökségi Pszichológiai Bizottsága? Ez az MTA elnökségi maxi bizottság azután kiravaszkodta a pszichológiai társaság és a Szemle újraindulását. Milyen szerepe volt ebben az átalakulásban a nagyhatalmú orvosok és a kisszámú pszichológus rafináltságának és karrierkeresésének?
A Társaság első nagygyűlései seregszemlék voltak, nagy identitásformáló szereppel. Ennek egy különleges vonása volt a nemzetközi pszichológiai élet vezető szereplőinek, például Paul Fraisse és Henri Tajfel a kötelező szovjetek melletti megjelenése az MPT nagygyűlésein. Nyílt és rejtett üzeneteket hoztak. Ismét közénk tartoztok, a pszichológusok nagy nemzetközi családjába, és csináljatok nyugatosabb tudományt, olyat, amilyet régen tudtatok.
