Effects of MDMA on socioemotional feelings, authenticity, and autobiographical disclosure in healthy volunteers in a controlled setting
Matthew J. Baggott, Jeremy Coyle, Jennifer D. Siegrist, Kathleen J. Garrison, Gantt P. Galloway, John Mendelson
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) June 23, 2015 preprint DOI: 10.1101/021329 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects double-blind placebo controlled study Placebo-controlled |
|---|---|
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Dose | 1.5 mg/kg oral MDMA |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Socioemotional selectivity theory Feeling Developmental psychology |
| Citations | 21 |
| Key points | MDMA increased feelings of authenticity and decreased social anxiety, facilitating emotional disclosure. |
Abstract
Abstract The drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”, “molly”) is a widely used illicit drug and experimental adjunct to psychotherapy. MDMA has unusual, poorly understood socioemotional effects, including feelings of interpersonal closeness and sociability. To better understand these effects, we conducted a within-subjects double-blind placebo controlled study of the effects of 1.5 mg/kg oral MDMA on social emotions and autobiographical disclosure in a controlled setting. MDMA displayed both sedative- and stimulant-like effects, including increased self-report anxiety. At the same time, MDMA positively altered evaluation of the self (i.e., increasing feelings of authenticity) while decreasing concerns about negative evaluation by others (i.e., decreasing social anxiety). Consistent with these feelings, MDMA increased how comfortable participants felt describing emotional memories. Overall, MDMA produced a prosocial syndrome that seemed to facilitate emotional disclosure and that appears consistent with the suggestion that it represents a novel pharmacological class.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- MDMA does not alter responses to the Trier Social Stress Test in humans Psychopharmacology July 1, 2017
- The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
- Early Use in Psychotherapy The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
- Case Report: Amplified psychoanalysis? Psychoanalysis, OCD and MDMA in a clinical case study Frontiers in Psychology March 11, 2026
- The Scheduling The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
and 10 more in the library
Cites 18
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- A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Journal of Psychopharmacology October 31, 2012
- Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2013
and 13 more in the library