Childhood trauma, challenging experiences, and posttraumatic growth in ayahuasca use
Ksenia Cassidy, C. J. Healy, Eva Henje, Wendy D’andrea
Drug Science Policy and Law January 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1177/20503245241238316 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA history of childhood trauma does not increase the risk of having a challenging experience during acute ayahuasca effects, nor does it affect posttraumatic growth afterward. In a survey of 231 adults (average age 40, 48% women), those with childhood trauma histories reported no more adverse or challenging experiences during ayahuasca use than those without such histories. Additionally, the degree of challenge during the acute experience was not linked to greater ayahuasca-related posttraumatic growth. These findings suggest that childhood trauma exposure may not carry the same risk for poor treatment response to ayahuasca as it does for other interventions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 231 |
| Population | Adults who have used ayahuasca |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Adverse childhood experiences Intervention counseling Posttraumatic growth Medicine |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key finding | Childhood trauma history was not associated with more challenging acute ayahuasca experiences or with greater posttraumatic growth. |
Abstract
Challenging experiences in ayahuasca use, childhood trauma, and posttraumatic growth have not been investigated systematically. This study aimed to explore whether a self-reported history of childhood trauma was associated with challenging experiences during acute ayahuasca effects and whether such challenging experiences were associated with beneficial long-term outcomes measured by posttraumatic growth. For this study, 231 individuals (mean age 40.29, 48% women) completed an online survey about traumatic experiences in childhood, challenges during acute ayahuasca effects, and perceived benefits of those challenges. This study found that people with histories of childhood trauma were not at greater risk of adverse or challenging experiences during acute ayahuasca effects than people without histories of childhood trauma ( r = .080, p = .281, 95% CI [–.066, .223]). Additionally, there was no difference in posttraumatic growth among those who had history of childhood trauma versus those who did not ( r = –.016, p = .837, 95% CI [–.166, .135]). People who have experienced more challenges during acute ayahuasca effects did not experience more ayahuasca-related posttraumatic growth ( r = .137, p = .076, 95% CI [–.014, .281]). These findings are important, as they may indicate that childhood trauma exposure does not pose the same risk for a poor treatment response to ayahuasca, as it predicts in other forms of intervention.