An open-label pilot study will test MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder. Twenty participants with moderate-to-severe generalized social anxiety will be randomly assigned to immediate or delayed treatment. The immediate group receives three preparation sessions, two MDMA medicine sessions, and six integration sessions over about 16 weeks. The primary outcome is symptom reduction measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale at post-treatment and 6-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include changes in functional impairment, safety, and processes like shame, belongingness, self-concealment, and self-compassion. Results will inform the design of larger randomized controlled trials.
Psychologists' attitudes toward psychedelics vary with individual characteristics. Men, younger psychologists, those living in the West or Northeast US, those with greater knowledge of risks and benefits, those who are religiously unaffiliated, and those with direct or indirect experience with psychedelics report more positive attitudes. Previous addiction treatment training was not associated with more positive attitudes. These findings can help inform efforts to improve attitudes, such as using case studies in public education.