The Effects of Educational Materials on Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Psilocybin
Lindsey Elise Wade
December 15, 2025 DOI: 10.31979/etd.zksr-4qgu (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Population | Primarily white, college-educated adults in the United States, most with prior psychedelic use |
| Intervention | opioid educational passage |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Mental health Depression economics Intervention counseling Affect linguistics Public health Clinical psychology Antidepressant Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | The psychoeducational intervention did not produce clear evidence of effects on knowledge or attitudes toward psilocybin-assisted therapy. |
Abstract
Depression is one of the most prevalent and burdensome mental health conditions worldwide, affecting millions and contributing to over 700,000 deaths by suicide annually. Nearly half of patients with major depressive disorder fail to respond adequately to standard antidepressant treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising alternative for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet public understanding of this therapy remains limited. The present study examined whether a brief psychoeducational intervention could affect knowledge and attitudes toward PAT among members of the general public in the United States. Participants were randomly assigned to read either a psilocybin or opioid educational passage before completing pre- and posttest measures. We did not find clear evidence of effects for PAT condition or time. However, the final sample was not representative of the general public, consisting of primarily white, college-educated adults, the majority of whom reported prior psychedelic use. This limitation should be considered when interpreting the findings. Keywords: Psychedelics, Psilocybin-assisted therapy, treatment-resistant depression, psychoeducation, public perception, mental health education
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety | 2016 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 51 |
| Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression | 2016 | Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial | n = 29 |
| Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression Selected group of patients with depression | 2021 | Randomized controlled trial | |
| Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder Adults aged 21 to 75 years with major depressive disorder, not currently using... | 2020 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 24 |
| Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2022 | Phase 2 double-blind randomized controlled trial | n = 233 |