Spiritual Well-Being Among Users and Non-Users of Psychedelics: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia, Lucas Oliveira Maia, Everson Meireles, Denismar Alves Nogueira, Luís Fernando Tófoli
Journal of psychoactive drugs January 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2284343 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) is a valid and reliable tool for Brazilian samples, measuring two factors: religious well-being (RWB) and existential well-being (EWB). The RWB factor showed superior psychometric performance, including better group differentiation and internal consistency. A U-shaped association emerged between psychedelic use and spiritual well-being: people who never used psychedelics reported the highest RWB and EWB scores, followed by frequent users, while occasional users scored lower. This pattern highlights the need for more research on the complex relationship between psychedelics and spiritual well-being.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Brazilian adults with varying religious and spiritual experiences, including users and non-users of psychedelics |
| Duration | April to June 2022 |
| Keywords | Psychedelics-hallucinogens-entheogens Religiosity Spiritual well-being Spirituality-religion-faith Well-being-wellness-fulfillment |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key finding | The Religious Well-Being factor of the SWBS showed superior validity, group discrimination, and reliability compared to the Existential Well-Being factor, and psychedelic use had a U-shaped association with spiritual well-being, with never-users and frequent users scoring highest. |
Abstract
This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) in a Brazilian sample. We analyzed spiritual well-being, defined as existential well-being (EWB) and religious well-being (RWB), among individuals with varying religious and spiritual experiences, both users and non-users of psychedelics. The online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Brazil, from April to June 2022. The psychometric analyses demonstrated reliability and validity based on the internal structure and the relationship with satisfactory external variables concerning the RWB and EWB factors of the SWBS. Validity evidence was shown for both factors (RWB, EWB) with adequate reliability ratings. However, the RWB factor, which was entirely replicated, demonstrated the best group differentiation and internal consistency. Although both factors showed validity, the RWB factor exhibited superior psychometric indices for validity, group discrimination, and reliability. Regarding psychedelics, the association with RWB and EWB demonstrates a U-shaped pattern, as participants who never use these substances typically exhibit higher RWB and EWB indices, succeeded by frequent users. This finding underscores the need for additional studies to further explore the intricate interplay between psychedelics and spiritual well-being.