Increasing the Evaluation and Reporting Rigor of Psychotherapy Interventions in Treatments Involving Psychedelics

Psychedelic treatments show promise for mental health conditions but are delivered inconsistently across studies and clinics. Beyond differences in substances and doses, the psychotherapeutic interventions themselves vary greatly. A systematic review of clinical trials using psilocybin for depression reveals that the exact nature of these therapies is poorly defined in most scientific papers. This lack of documentation hinders the dissemination and improvement of evidence-based protocols. The field would benefit from optimized psychotherapeutic methods, but insufficient reporting currently blocks progress. The article offers ideas to encourage better documentation and advancement of research on psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychedelic treatments are emerging as promising interventions for many mental health conditions. These interventions are not offered in a standardized fashion across studies and between different healthcare centers. Beyond differences in substances and doses, there is also a great heterogeneity in the interventions provided by therapists. The current review offers a summary of important elements that should be reported when describing psychedelic-assisted therapies. Clinical trials involving psilocybin for depression are systematically reviewed to synthesize available descriptions of their interventions. This review demonstrates that the exact nature of these psychotherapeutic interventions tends to be poorly defined in most scientific papers on psychedelic treatments. This problem and its implications are examined. The field stands to gain from optimized psychotherapeutic methods; however, insufficient documentation in scientific papers currently hinders the dissemination and improvement of evidence-based protocols. This article offers ideas to encourage the progress of research on psychedelic-assisted therapies.