Psychedelics and Wellness Study (PAWS)

The Psychedelics and Wellness Study (PAWS), is an anonymous online survey investigating the interrelationship between psychedelics and wellness. The study population is adults ages 18 and older that have taken a psychedelic at least once. The maximum sample size is 5,000 survey respondents. It is expected that this anonymous online survey will support the hypothesis that there is a robust interrelationship between past psychedelic use and its impact on wellness.

Status Recruiting
Results Published
Start date 30 September 2019
End date 30 June 2022
Chance of happening 100%
Phase Not Applicable
Design Open
Type Observational
Generation First
Participants 5000
Sex All
Age 18- 100
Therapy No

Trial Details

Following a four-decade moratorium, the therapeutic use of psychedelics has once more captured the collective attention of the medical community and the public at large. Now, at the forefront of a renaissance in psychedelic research, this study is investigating the interrelationship of psychedelics and mental wellness - a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. This work will be unique in that it will collect both objective and subjective data to assess the interrelationship between psychedelic and wellness. It will lend support to the growing body of research in the use of psychedelics for both mental health conditions and the pursuit of overall mental wellness.

NCT Number NCT04040582

Sponsors & Collaborators

Yale University
The Yale Psychedelic Science Group was established in 2016.

Papers

Psychedelic Use Among Psychiatric Medication Prescribers: Effects on Well-Being, Depression, Anxiety, and Associations with Patterns of Use, Reported Harms, and Transformative Mental States
This cross-sectional online survey (n=228) examined the effects of psychedelic use on healthcare providers who treat psychiatric disorders with medications. The study found that psychedelic use was associated with improvements in depression, anxiety, well-being, and resilience, and a decrease in reported suicidality. A factor analysis indicated that a combination of mystical, interpersonal, and personal experiences predicted these improvements. The preferred psychedelic agent did not influence outcomes, and frequency of use showed varied effect sizes. While 13.2% (n=30) reported at least one harm from psychedelic use, the results suggest potential benefits for healthcare providers, consistent with findings from other studies on the general population.

Measures Used

Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression
The PHQ-9 is the module of the Patient Health Questionnaire focusing on major depressive disorder (MDD). It is a 3-page questionnaire that can be entirely self-administered by the patient, after which it is checked by a medical professional. The PHQ-9 consists of 9 items. If 5 or more criteria have been met, the patient is diagnosed with depression.

Data attribution

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