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Improving Best Practice Indicators for Psilocybin Assisted Therapy Using a Mul-tiphase Mixed Methods Delphi Study

Kim Hoffman, Todd P. Korthuis, Kellie Pertl, David Morgan

International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches April 30, 2025 DOI: 10.29034/ijmra.v17n1a1 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Mixed methods Delphi study Qualitative Peer reviewed
Sample size 37
Population Providers and content experts with significant knowledge of Psilocybin Assisted Therapy
Topics Psilocybin
Citations 2
Key points Qualitative inquiry identified new dimensions of safety that extended beyond the initial scope of quality and safety indicators for psilocybin therapy.

Abstract

Most Delphi studies primarily rely on questionnaires and subsequent quantitative ratings across multiple rounds to learn about a complex issue. This article demonstrates the integration of qualitative inquiry into a Delphi study to enhance and complement quantitative findings. We conducted a mixed methods Delphi study to establish a comprehensive list of quality and safety indicators for best practices in psilocybin therapy. Our qualitative methods entailed interviewing 37 providers and content experts with significant knowledge of Psilocybin Assisted Therapy to address one or more of the following goals: (a) provide a rationale for maintaining or removing quality and safety indicators, (b) improve indicator wording, (c) consolidate them or alter the timing of their consideration during therapy, and (d) provide contextual explanations for our decisions. Qualitative inquiry yielded important findings, as participants identified new dimensions of safety that extended beyond our initial scope. By using a mixed methods design, we demonstrate that both exploratory and explanatory qualitative methods can make a vital contribution to Delphi methods, extending beyond the use of quantitative ratings.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on psilocybin, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin 2017 Qualitative study n = 20
Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis 2017 Qualitative study n = 13
Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study 2018 Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis n = 12
Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD Cluster headache patients who used psilocybin or LSD 2006 Qualitative study n = 53
Cancer at the Dinner Table: Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Distress Adult participants with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis 2017 Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis n = 13

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