Abstract
The present study examines prospective changes in personality traits relevant to social functioning as well as perceived social connectedness in relation to the naturalistic use of psychedelic compounds in an online volunteer sample. The study also examined the degree to which demographic characteristics, social setting, baseline personality, and acute subjective factors (e.g., emotional breakthrough experiences) influenced trajectories of personality and perceived social connectedness. Participants recruited online completed self-report measures of personality and social connectedness at three timepoints (baseline, 2weeks post-experience, 4weeks post-experience). Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in outcomes and the moderation of these outcomes by covariates. The most substantive changes were reductions in the personality domains Neuroticism, and increases in Agreeableness and social connectedness. Notably, reductions in Neuroticism and increases in Agreeableness covaried over time, which may be suggestive of common processes involving emotion regulation. Preliminary evidence was found for a specific effect on a component of Agreeableness involving a critical and quarrelsome interpersonal style. Although moderation by demographic characteristics, social setting, baseline personality, and acute factors generally found limited support, baseline standing on Neuroticism, perspective taking, and social connectedness showed tentative signs of amplifying adaptive effects on each trait, respectively. Our findings hold implications for the potential use of psychedelics for treating interpersonal elements of personality pathology as well as loneliness.
Highlights
Research on serotonergic psychedelics has accelerated in the last decade (Carhart-Harris and Goodwin, 2017) due to promising demonstrations of psychotherapeutic effects, and relaxed legal restriction on scientific investigation (Nutt et al, 2013)
Because personality change effects may depend on other measurable factors, we examine the degree to which predisposing factors, such as demographic characteristics and baseline personality, and acute subjective factors, such as non-ordinary states of affect and consciousness during psychedelic experience, moderate changes
The present study represented a well-powered examination of how psychedelic use in a naturalistic setting may influence social functioning and connectedness using the framework of FiveFactor Model (FFM) personality
Summary
Research on serotonergic psychedelics has accelerated in the last decade (Carhart-Harris and Goodwin, 2017) due to promising demonstrations of psychotherapeutic effects, and relaxed legal restriction on scientific investigation (Nutt et al, 2013) Research in this area has mainly focused on contributions to individual utility, including gains in personal well-being (e.g., Griffiths et al, 2011), personality (e.g., Erritzoe et al, 2018), and remediation of mental health disorders including alcohol misuse (Bogenschutz et al, 2015), major and resistant depression (e.g., Carhart-Harris et al, 2016a, 2021; Davis et al, 2020), and end of life anxiety/depression (e.g., Griffiths et al, 2016). Because personality change effects may depend on other measurable factors, we examine the degree to which predisposing factors, such as demographic characteristics and baseline personality, and acute subjective factors, such as non-ordinary states of affect and consciousness during psychedelic experience, moderate changes
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