Shedding the self : ego-death and positive psychological transformation in naturalistic psychedelic use.
University of Canterbury Research Repository January 1, 2025 Scott, Hayleigh
A new 28-item scale, the Perceived Positive Outcomes of Psychedelic Use (PPOPU), was developed and validated in a diverse international sample of 599 adult psychedelic users. Ego-death experiences strongly predicted perceived positive outcomes. Among four mental health conditions examined—depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorder—only a history of PTSD significantly predicted greater perceived benefits. No significant interaction was found between ego-death and mental health history. The findings suggest ego-death is a powerful catalyst for positive psychological transformation in naturalistic settings and that psychedelic experiences may hold transdiagnostic therapeutic potential, especially for trauma-related psychopathology.