The Experts below are selected from a list of 288 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Roland R Griffiths - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, Mystical Experience, and brain network function.
Pharmacology & therapeutics, 2018Co-Authors: Matthew W. Johnson, Frederick S Barrett, Peter S. Hendricks, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review and offer novel insights regarding human research with classic psychedelics (classic hallucinogens), which are serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. Classic psychedelics have been administered as sacraments since ancient times. They were of prominent interest within psychiatry and neuroscience in the 1950s to 1960s, and during this time contributed to the emergence of the field of molecular neuroscience. Promising results were reported for treatment of both end-of-life psychological distress and addiction, and classic psychedelics served as tools for studying the neurobiological bases of psychological disorders. Moreover, classic psychedelics were shown to occasion Mystical Experiences, which are subjective Experiences reported throughout different cultures and religions involving a strong sense of unity, among other characteristics. However, the recreational use of classic psychedelics and their association with the counterculture prompted an end to human research with classic psychedelics in the early 1970s. We provide the most comprehensive review of epidemiological studies of classic psychedelics to date. Notable among these are a number of studies that have suggested the possibility that nonmedical naturalistic (non-laboratory) use of classic psychedelics is associated with positive mental health and prosocial outcomes, although it is clear that some individuals are harmed by classic psychedelics in non-supervised settings. We then review recent therapeutic studies suggesting efficacy in treating psychological distress associated with life-threatening diseases, treating depression, and treating nicotine and alcohol addictions. We also describe the construct of Mystical Experience, and provide a comprehensive review of modern studies investigating classic psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences and their consequences. These studies have shown classic psychedelics to fairly reliably occasion Mystical Experiences. Moreover, classic-psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences are associated with improved psychological outcomes in both healthy volunteer and patient populations. Finally, we review neuroimaging studies that suggest neurobiological mechanisms of classic psychedelics. These studies have also broadened our understanding of the brain, the serotonin system, and the neurobiological basis of consciousness. Overall, these various lines of research suggest that classic psychedelics might hold strong potential as therapeutics, and as tools for experimentally investigating Mystical Experiences and behavioral-brain function more generally.
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validation of the revised Mystical Experience questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin
Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2015Co-Authors: Frederick S Barrett, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) was previously developed within an online survey of Mystical-type Experiences occasioned by psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The rated Experiences occurred on average eight years before completion of the questionnaire. The current paper validates the MEQ30 using data from experimental studies with controlled doses of psilocybin. Data were pooled and analyzed from five laboratory experiments in which participants (n=184) received a moderate to high oral dose of psilocybin (at least 20 mg/70 kg). Results of confirmatory factor analysis demonstrate the reliability and internal validity of the MEQ30. Structural equation models demonstrate the external and convergent validity of the MEQ30 by showing that latent variable scores on the MEQ30 positively predict persisting change in attitudes, behavior, and well-being attributed to Experiences with psilocybin while controlling for the contribution of the participant-rated intensity of drug effects. These findings support the use of the MEQ30 as an efficient measure of individual Mystical Experiences. A method to score a "complete Mystical Experience" that was used in previous versions of the Mystical Experience questionnaire is validated in the MEQ30, and a stand-alone version of the MEQ30 is provided for use in future research.
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Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences in the treatment of tobacco addiction.
Current drug abuse reviews, 2014Co-Authors: Albert P. Garcia-romeu, Roland Griffiths, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R Griffiths, Matthew JohnsonAbstract:Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences have been linked to persisting effects in healthy volunteers including positive changes in behavior, attitudes, and values, and increases in the personality domain of openness. In an open-label pilot-study of psilocybin-facilitated smoking addiction treatment, 15 smokers received 2 or 3 doses of psilocybin in the context of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for smoking cessation. Twelve of 15 participants (80%) demonstrated biologically verified smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up. Participants who were abstinent at 6 months (n=12) were compared to participants still smoking at 6 months (n=3) on measures of subjective effects of psilocybin. Abstainers scored significantly higher on a measure of psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experience. No significant differences in general intensity of drug effects were found between groups, suggesting that Mystical-type subjective effects, rather than overall intensity of drug effects, were responsible for smoking cessation. Nine of 15 participants (60%) met criteria for "complete" Mystical Experience. Smoking cessation outcomes were significantly correlated with measures of Mystical Experience on session days, as well as retrospective ratings of personal meaning and spiritual significance of psilocybin sessions. These results suggest a mediating role of Mystical Experience in psychedelic-facilitated addiction treatment.
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factor analysis of the Mystical Experience questionnaire a study of Experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2012Co-Authors: Katherine A Maclean, Matthew W. Johnson, Jeannie Marie S Leoutsakos, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:A large body of historical evidence describes the use of hallucinogenic compounds, such as psilocybin mushrooms, for religious purposes. But few scientific studies have attempted to measure or characterize hallucinogen-occasioned spiritual Experiences. The present study examined the factor structure of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), a self-report measure that has been used to assess the effects of hallucinogens in laboratory studies. Participants (N=1602) completed the 43-item MEQ in reference to a Mystical or profound Experience they had had after ingesting psilocybin. Exploratory factor analysis of the MEQ retained 30 items and revealed a 4-factor structure covering the dimensions of classic Mystical Experience: unity, noetic quality, sacredness (F1); positive mood (F2); transcendence of time/space (F3); and ineffability (F4). MEQ factor scores showed good internal reliability and correlated with the Hood Mysticism Scale, indicating convergent validity. Participants who endorsed having had a Mystical Experience on psilocybin, compared to those who did not, had significantly higher factor scores, indicating construct validity. The 4-factor structure was confirmed in a second sample (N=440) and demonstrated superior fit compared to alternative models. The results provide initial evidence of the validity, reliability, and factor structure of a 30-item scale for measuring single, hallucinogen-occasioned Mystical Experiences, which may be a useful tool in the scientific study of mysticism.
Matthew W. Johnson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, Mystical Experience, and brain network function.
Pharmacology & therapeutics, 2018Co-Authors: Matthew W. Johnson, Frederick S Barrett, Peter S. Hendricks, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review and offer novel insights regarding human research with classic psychedelics (classic hallucinogens), which are serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. Classic psychedelics have been administered as sacraments since ancient times. They were of prominent interest within psychiatry and neuroscience in the 1950s to 1960s, and during this time contributed to the emergence of the field of molecular neuroscience. Promising results were reported for treatment of both end-of-life psychological distress and addiction, and classic psychedelics served as tools for studying the neurobiological bases of psychological disorders. Moreover, classic psychedelics were shown to occasion Mystical Experiences, which are subjective Experiences reported throughout different cultures and religions involving a strong sense of unity, among other characteristics. However, the recreational use of classic psychedelics and their association with the counterculture prompted an end to human research with classic psychedelics in the early 1970s. We provide the most comprehensive review of epidemiological studies of classic psychedelics to date. Notable among these are a number of studies that have suggested the possibility that nonmedical naturalistic (non-laboratory) use of classic psychedelics is associated with positive mental health and prosocial outcomes, although it is clear that some individuals are harmed by classic psychedelics in non-supervised settings. We then review recent therapeutic studies suggesting efficacy in treating psychological distress associated with life-threatening diseases, treating depression, and treating nicotine and alcohol addictions. We also describe the construct of Mystical Experience, and provide a comprehensive review of modern studies investigating classic psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences and their consequences. These studies have shown classic psychedelics to fairly reliably occasion Mystical Experiences. Moreover, classic-psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences are associated with improved psychological outcomes in both healthy volunteer and patient populations. Finally, we review neuroimaging studies that suggest neurobiological mechanisms of classic psychedelics. These studies have also broadened our understanding of the brain, the serotonin system, and the neurobiological basis of consciousness. Overall, these various lines of research suggest that classic psychedelics might hold strong potential as therapeutics, and as tools for experimentally investigating Mystical Experiences and behavioral-brain function more generally.
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validation of the revised Mystical Experience questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin
Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2015Co-Authors: Frederick S Barrett, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) was previously developed within an online survey of Mystical-type Experiences occasioned by psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The rated Experiences occurred on average eight years before completion of the questionnaire. The current paper validates the MEQ30 using data from experimental studies with controlled doses of psilocybin. Data were pooled and analyzed from five laboratory experiments in which participants (n=184) received a moderate to high oral dose of psilocybin (at least 20 mg/70 kg). Results of confirmatory factor analysis demonstrate the reliability and internal validity of the MEQ30. Structural equation models demonstrate the external and convergent validity of the MEQ30 by showing that latent variable scores on the MEQ30 positively predict persisting change in attitudes, behavior, and well-being attributed to Experiences with psilocybin while controlling for the contribution of the participant-rated intensity of drug effects. These findings support the use of the MEQ30 as an efficient measure of individual Mystical Experiences. A method to score a "complete Mystical Experience" that was used in previous versions of the Mystical Experience questionnaire is validated in the MEQ30, and a stand-alone version of the MEQ30 is provided for use in future research.
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Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences in the treatment of tobacco addiction.
Current drug abuse reviews, 2014Co-Authors: Albert P. Garcia-romeu, Roland Griffiths, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R Griffiths, Matthew JohnsonAbstract:Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences have been linked to persisting effects in healthy volunteers including positive changes in behavior, attitudes, and values, and increases in the personality domain of openness. In an open-label pilot-study of psilocybin-facilitated smoking addiction treatment, 15 smokers received 2 or 3 doses of psilocybin in the context of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for smoking cessation. Twelve of 15 participants (80%) demonstrated biologically verified smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up. Participants who were abstinent at 6 months (n=12) were compared to participants still smoking at 6 months (n=3) on measures of subjective effects of psilocybin. Abstainers scored significantly higher on a measure of psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experience. No significant differences in general intensity of drug effects were found between groups, suggesting that Mystical-type subjective effects, rather than overall intensity of drug effects, were responsible for smoking cessation. Nine of 15 participants (60%) met criteria for "complete" Mystical Experience. Smoking cessation outcomes were significantly correlated with measures of Mystical Experience on session days, as well as retrospective ratings of personal meaning and spiritual significance of psilocybin sessions. These results suggest a mediating role of Mystical Experience in psychedelic-facilitated addiction treatment.
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factor analysis of the Mystical Experience questionnaire a study of Experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2012Co-Authors: Katherine A Maclean, Matthew W. Johnson, Jeannie Marie S Leoutsakos, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:A large body of historical evidence describes the use of hallucinogenic compounds, such as psilocybin mushrooms, for religious purposes. But few scientific studies have attempted to measure or characterize hallucinogen-occasioned spiritual Experiences. The present study examined the factor structure of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), a self-report measure that has been used to assess the effects of hallucinogens in laboratory studies. Participants (N=1602) completed the 43-item MEQ in reference to a Mystical or profound Experience they had had after ingesting psilocybin. Exploratory factor analysis of the MEQ retained 30 items and revealed a 4-factor structure covering the dimensions of classic Mystical Experience: unity, noetic quality, sacredness (F1); positive mood (F2); transcendence of time/space (F3); and ineffability (F4). MEQ factor scores showed good internal reliability and correlated with the Hood Mysticism Scale, indicating convergent validity. Participants who endorsed having had a Mystical Experience on psilocybin, compared to those who did not, had significantly higher factor scores, indicating construct validity. The 4-factor structure was confirmed in a second sample (N=440) and demonstrated superior fit compared to alternative models. The results provide initial evidence of the validity, reliability, and factor structure of a 30-item scale for measuring single, hallucinogen-occasioned Mystical Experiences, which may be a useful tool in the scientific study of mysticism.
Frederick S Barrett - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, Mystical Experience, and brain network function.
Pharmacology & therapeutics, 2018Co-Authors: Matthew W. Johnson, Frederick S Barrett, Peter S. Hendricks, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review and offer novel insights regarding human research with classic psychedelics (classic hallucinogens), which are serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. Classic psychedelics have been administered as sacraments since ancient times. They were of prominent interest within psychiatry and neuroscience in the 1950s to 1960s, and during this time contributed to the emergence of the field of molecular neuroscience. Promising results were reported for treatment of both end-of-life psychological distress and addiction, and classic psychedelics served as tools for studying the neurobiological bases of psychological disorders. Moreover, classic psychedelics were shown to occasion Mystical Experiences, which are subjective Experiences reported throughout different cultures and religions involving a strong sense of unity, among other characteristics. However, the recreational use of classic psychedelics and their association with the counterculture prompted an end to human research with classic psychedelics in the early 1970s. We provide the most comprehensive review of epidemiological studies of classic psychedelics to date. Notable among these are a number of studies that have suggested the possibility that nonmedical naturalistic (non-laboratory) use of classic psychedelics is associated with positive mental health and prosocial outcomes, although it is clear that some individuals are harmed by classic psychedelics in non-supervised settings. We then review recent therapeutic studies suggesting efficacy in treating psychological distress associated with life-threatening diseases, treating depression, and treating nicotine and alcohol addictions. We also describe the construct of Mystical Experience, and provide a comprehensive review of modern studies investigating classic psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences and their consequences. These studies have shown classic psychedelics to fairly reliably occasion Mystical Experiences. Moreover, classic-psychedelic-occasioned Mystical Experiences are associated with improved psychological outcomes in both healthy volunteer and patient populations. Finally, we review neuroimaging studies that suggest neurobiological mechanisms of classic psychedelics. These studies have also broadened our understanding of the brain, the serotonin system, and the neurobiological basis of consciousness. Overall, these various lines of research suggest that classic psychedelics might hold strong potential as therapeutics, and as tools for experimentally investigating Mystical Experiences and behavioral-brain function more generally.
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validation of the revised Mystical Experience questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin
Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2015Co-Authors: Frederick S Barrett, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R GriffithsAbstract:The 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) was previously developed within an online survey of Mystical-type Experiences occasioned by psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The rated Experiences occurred on average eight years before completion of the questionnaire. The current paper validates the MEQ30 using data from experimental studies with controlled doses of psilocybin. Data were pooled and analyzed from five laboratory experiments in which participants (n=184) received a moderate to high oral dose of psilocybin (at least 20 mg/70 kg). Results of confirmatory factor analysis demonstrate the reliability and internal validity of the MEQ30. Structural equation models demonstrate the external and convergent validity of the MEQ30 by showing that latent variable scores on the MEQ30 positively predict persisting change in attitudes, behavior, and well-being attributed to Experiences with psilocybin while controlling for the contribution of the participant-rated intensity of drug effects. These findings support the use of the MEQ30 as an efficient measure of individual Mystical Experiences. A method to score a "complete Mystical Experience" that was used in previous versions of the Mystical Experience questionnaire is validated in the MEQ30, and a stand-alone version of the MEQ30 is provided for use in future research.
Leslie J. Francis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mystical Experience and emotional wellbeing: a study among Australian church leaders
Journal of Beliefs & Values, 2020Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Ruth Powell, Andrew VillageAbstract:The psychological and pathological correlates of Mystical Experience have been debated since the early days of the psychology of religion. In the present study the association between Mystical expe...
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openness to Mystical Experience and psychological type a study among italians
Mental Health Religion & Culture, 2017Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Giuseppe CreaAbstract:ABSTRACTThis study examines Ross’ thesis that intuitive types are more open than sensing types to Mystical Experience among a sample of 1155 Italians who completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales alongside the Mystical Orientation Scale. The data supported Ross’ thesis. Intuitive types recorded a significantly higher mean score than sensing types on the index of Mystical orientation. Ranking the 16 complete types according to their mean Mystical orientation scores located INFPs with the highest scores and ISTJs with the lowest scores.
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Personality and spirituality : the connection between psychological type and openness to Mystical Experience
2015Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy RobbinsAbstract:This study examines the connection between openness to Mystical Experience and psychological type theory, distinguishing between introversion and extraversion, between sensing and intuition, between thinking and feeling, and between judging and perceiving. Data were provided by 146 individuals who responded to an invitation published in the magazine of the Alister Hardy Society for the Study of Spiritual Experience and completed both the Francis-Louden Mystical Orientation Scale and the Francis Psychological Type Scale. The data demonstrated that among this sample feeling types recorded significantly higher scores on the index of openness to Mystical Experience in comparison with thinking types.
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Mystical Experience and Psychopathology: A Study Among Secular, Christian, and Muslim Youth in Germany
Pastoral Psychology, 2014Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Hans-georg Ziebertz, Mandy Robbins, Marian ReindlAbstract:This study addresses two research questions concerning the level and the correlates of Mystical Experience among adolescents in Germany. The first question concerns the extent to which Mystical Experience is reported by religiously unaffiliated young people compared with Christian affiliates and Muslim affiliates. The second question concerns the connection between reported Mystical Experience and psychopathology among these three groups of young people. Data provided by 578 Christians, 311 Muslims, and 248 religiously unaffiliated students between the ages of 15 and 19 years found levels of reported Mystical Experience only slightly lower among the religiously unaffiliated young people and found no evidence to connect reported Mystical Experience with psychopathology among any of the three groups.
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Religious Identity, Mystical Experience, and Psychopathology: A Study among Secular, Christian, and Muslim Youth in England and Wales
Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion Volume 25 , 2014Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy RobbinsAbstract:This study addressed two research questions among three samples of 14- to 18-year-old adolescents: 203 Muslims, 477 Christians, and 378 religiously unaffiliated young people in England and Wales. The first question examined the comparative extent to which the religiously unaffiliated reported Mystical Experience. The second question examined the association between Mystical Experience and psychopathology as defined by the psychoticism and neuroticisim scales within Eysenck’s dimensional model of personality. The data found a lower level of reported Mystical Experience among the religiously unaffiliated, although such Experiences were reported by between a quarter and a third of this group. The data found no association between reported Mystical Experience and psychopathology among the Christians, the Muslims, or the religiously unaffiliated.
Matthew Johnson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences in the treatment of tobacco addiction.
Current drug abuse reviews, 2014Co-Authors: Albert P. Garcia-romeu, Roland Griffiths, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R Griffiths, Matthew JohnsonAbstract:Psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experiences have been linked to persisting effects in healthy volunteers including positive changes in behavior, attitudes, and values, and increases in the personality domain of openness. In an open-label pilot-study of psilocybin-facilitated smoking addiction treatment, 15 smokers received 2 or 3 doses of psilocybin in the context of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for smoking cessation. Twelve of 15 participants (80%) demonstrated biologically verified smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up. Participants who were abstinent at 6 months (n=12) were compared to participants still smoking at 6 months (n=3) on measures of subjective effects of psilocybin. Abstainers scored significantly higher on a measure of psilocybin-occasioned Mystical Experience. No significant differences in general intensity of drug effects were found between groups, suggesting that Mystical-type subjective effects, rather than overall intensity of drug effects, were responsible for smoking cessation. Nine of 15 participants (60%) met criteria for "complete" Mystical Experience. Smoking cessation outcomes were significantly correlated with measures of Mystical Experience on session days, as well as retrospective ratings of personal meaning and spiritual significance of psilocybin sessions. These results suggest a mediating role of Mystical Experience in psychedelic-facilitated addiction treatment.
