Development of the Psychological Insight Questionnaire among a sample of people who have consumed psilocybin or LSD
Alan K. Davis, Frederick S. Barrett, Sara So, Natalie Gukasyan, Thomas C Swift, Roland R. Griffiths
Journal of Psychopharmacology January 9, 2021 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120967878 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey study Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,661 |
| Population | Psilocybin and LSD users |
| Topics | LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychometrics Psychedelic studies Psychological insight Psychometric questionnaire Well-being outcomes |
| Citations | 166 |
| Key findings | The Psychological Insight Questionnaire demonstrated construct and incremental validity, predicting changes in psychological flexibility, well-being, and life satisfaction beyond measures of acute mystical-type and challenging effects. |
Abstract
Background: Several measures have been developed to examine acute psychedelic effects (e.g. mystical-type and challenging experiences), but no measure assesses acute psychologically insightful experiences that may occur during psychedelic experiences.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Psychological Insight Questionnaire.
Method: A cross-sectional survey study among psilocybin and LSD users. Respondents ( n=1661; M age =22.9, standard deviation=8.5; Caucasian/White=83%; non-Hispanic=91%; men=72%; United States resident=66%) completed an Internet-based survey.
Results: The Psychological Insight Questionnaire consists of 23 items with two subscales: (a) Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns Insights and (b) Goals and Adaptive Patterns Insights. Construct validity of the Psychological Insight Questionnaire was supported by strong correlations of the Psychological Insight Questionnaire (and Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns Insights and Goals and Adaptive Patterns Insights subscales) scores with the insight subscale of the Session Impacts Scale, and weak-to-moderate correlations with the Mystical Experiences and Challenging Experiences Questionnaires. Furthermore, Psychological Insight Questionnaire (and Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns Insights and Goals and Adaptive Patterns Insights subscales) scores were moderately-to-strongly correlated with retrospectively reported increases in psychological flexibility, and well-being/life satisfaction that were attributed to a memorable psychedelic experience. Lastly, incremental validity was established showing that the Psychological Insight Questionnaire (and Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns Insights subscale) scores predict unique variance in changes in psychological flexibility, and Psychological Insight Questionnaire (and Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns Insights and Goals and Adaptive Patterns Insights subscales) scores predict changes in well-being and life satisfaction, beyond measures of acute mystical-type and challenging effects.
Conclusions: The Psychological Insight Questionnaire has the potential to extend the understanding of the acute and enduring effects of psychedelics. Further longitudinal research is necessary to determine the long-term predictive validity of the Psychological Insight Questionnaire and to examine the role of psychological insight in predicting therapeutic outcomes.