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Alicia Danforth

9 papers in the library · 1,952 citations · publishing 2010-2026

Papers

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Development of the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Side Effects Tool (M-SET): a Delphi study.

BMJ Open May 11, 2026 Julia Colcott, Alexandre A. Guerin, Olivia Carter et al.

Despite growing interest in the therapeutic potential of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), no targeted measure to systematically assess side effects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) exists. Our aim was to develop an MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Side Effects Tool (M-SET) to capture side effects over the course of MDMA-AP. Informed by a systematic review and a review of other...

A model training curriculum for psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen-assisted psychotherapy.

Journal of Psychopharmacology June 10, 2025 Torsten Passie, Anja Loizaga-Velder, Alicia Danforth et al. 4 citations

The authors offer a model for curriculum for education and training in substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAP), that is, psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen/MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy, addressing both the detailed contents of training and the question of experiential training. All authors of this model have an abiding interest and extensive experience in...

DOI: 10.1177/02698811241282759 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Psychedelic therapy MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Education of therapists Psycholytic therapy +7

A Field-Wide Review and Analysis of Study Materials Used in Psilocybin Trials: Assessment of Two Decades of Research

Psychedelic Medicine January 20, 2025 Marianna Graziosi, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Mary P Cosimano et al. 9 citations

Introduction: Serotonergic psychedelics, serotonin 2A receptor agonists such as psilocybin that can result in substantially altered states of consciousness, are used in recreational and research settings. The safety of psychedelic experiences in research settings is supported by controlled physical environments, presence of clinical and medical staff to address emergent issues, screening for...

Policy considerations that support equitable access to responsible, accountable, safe, and ethical uses of psychedelic medicines

Neuropharmacology August 13, 2022 Ingrid Donato, Veronica Magar, Sean J Belouin et al. 49 citations

There is mounting evidence suggesting psychedelic and entactogen medicines (namely psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]), in conjunction with proper psychosocial support, hold the potential to provide safe, rapid acting, and robust clinical improvements with durable effects. In the US, both psilocybin and MDMA have been granted Breakthrough Therapy designations by the US Food...

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109214 (opens in new tab) Access to medicines Expanded access Internet privacy Public relations +1

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Social Adaptability in Autistic Adults

Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences 2021 Alicia Danforth 5 citations

Access to the Internet has upended long-standing myths and misconceptions about autism as autistic individuals are enabled through technology increasingly to influence the dialog around neurodiversity, the experience of being autistic, and the effectiveness of mental health interventions for autistic adults. Autistic self-advocates are speaking up in support of including neurodivergent adults...

DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_269 (opens in new tab) Anxiety Autism Neurocognitive Psychological intervention +5

Psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralized older long-term AIDS survivor men: An open-label safety and feasibility pilot study

EClinicalMedicine September 24, 2020 B. Anderson, Alicia Danforth, Prof Robert Daroff et al. 271 citations

BACKGROUND: Psilocybin therapy has shown promise as a rapid-acting treatment for depression, anxiety, and demoralization in patients with serious medical illness (e.g., cancer) when paired with individual psychotherapy. This study assessed the safety and feasibility of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in older long-term AIDS survivor (OLTAS) men, a population with a high...

Reduction in social anxiety after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with autistic adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Psychopharmacology November 1, 2018 Alicia Danforth, Charles S. Grob, Christopher M Struble et al. 284 citations

Standard therapeutic approaches to reduce social anxiety in autistic adults have limited effectiveness. Since 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy shows promise as a treatment for other anxiety disorders, a blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted. To explore feasibility and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for reduction of social fear and avoidance...

DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5010-9 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine Asperger’s Social anxiety MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy: 3 +2

MDMA-assisted therapy: A new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults.

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry January 4, 2016 Alicia Danforth, Christopher M Struble, Berra Yazar-Klosinski et al. 110 citations

The first study of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of social anxiety in autistic adults commenced in the spring of 2014. The search for psychotherapeutic options for autistic individuals is imperative considering the lack of effective conventional treatments for mental health diagnoses that are common in this population. Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)...

Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer

Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010 Gurpreet S Chopra, Marycie Hagerty, Charles S. Grob et al. 1,220 citations

CONTEXT: Researchers conducted extensive investigations of hallucinogens in the 1950s and 1960s. By the early 1970s, however, political and cultural pressures forced the cessation of all projects. This investigation reexamines a potentially promising clinical application of hallucinogens in the treatment of anxiety reactive to advanced-stage cancer. OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy...

DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116 (opens in new tab) Psilocybin Mood Clinical psychology Beck depression inventory +2