This meta-analysis (2021) explored the effect MDMA has on self-reported feelings of social connection in humans by combining the data from 27 placebo-controlled studies. It was found that MDMA has a moderate-to-large effect on self-reported sociability outcomes, suggesting that MDMA may have powerful implications for a variety of social situations.
Abstract
“3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a psychostimulant known for producing positive subjective effects and for enhancing social functioning and social connection in both clinical and recreational settings. Over the past two decades, scientists have begun to study the psychological effects of MDMA through rigorous placebo-controlled experimental work. However, most existing studies have small Ns, and the average sizes of the reported effects are unknown, creating uncertainty about the impact of these findings. The goal of the present study was to quantify the strength of MDMA’s effects on self-reported social connection by aggregating sociability-related outcomes across multiple placebo-controlled studies. To this end, we conducted a multilevel meta-analysis based on 27 studies, 54 effect sizes, and a total of 592 participants. The results revealed a moderate-to-large effect (d = 0.86; 95% CI [0.68, 1.04]; r = .39; 95% CI [.32, .46]) of MDMA on self-reported sociability-related outcomes (e.g., feeling loving, talkative, and friendly). Given the magnitude of its effect on felt sociability, we propose that MDMA may have powerful implications for a variety of social contexts and for clinical settings, in particular. Finally, we discuss potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between MDMA and sociability-related feelings, as well as future directions for experimental work in this area.”
Authors: Annie Regan, Seth Margolis, Harriet de Wit, & Sonja Lyubomirsky
Find this paper
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258849
Open Access | Google Scholar | Backup | 🕊
Published in
PLOS ONE
October 25, 2021
0 citations
Study details
Compounds studied
MDMA
Topics studied
Personality
Study characteristics
Meta-Analysis
Participants
592
Humans
Authors
Authors associated with this publication with profiles on Blossom
Annie ReganThis is a temporary message, this page will be updated shortly
Seth Margolis
This is a temporary message, this page will be updated shortly
Harriet de Wit
Harriet de Wit is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on the physiological, subjective (i.e., mood-altering), and behavioral effects of drugs in healthy human volunteers.
Sonja Lyubomirsky
This is a temporary message, this page will be updated shortly