Disengaged: A systematic review of community engagement in psychedelic-assisted therapy research.
Mallet R Reid, Jonathan Song, Kevin F. Boehnke, NiCole T. Buchanan, Jacob S. Aday
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews February 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106516 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD clinical trials in the United States |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Community-engaged research Psychedelic assisted therapy |
| Key findings | Only 11.11% of psychedelic-assisted therapy trials incorporated community-engaged research practices, indicating a paucity of such approaches that may contribute to the underinclusion of people of color. |
Abstract
People of color have been significantly underincluded in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, despite facing challenges commonly addressed in PAT and often more severe symptoms. It may be the case that people of color are underincluded because PAT researchers have not used approaches designed to promote sample diversity. Community-engaged research (CEnR) is a research paradigm that has demonstrated success in promoting participant diversity. We hypothesize that the absence of CEnR in psychedelic science may be a contributing factor to the lack of diversity in psychedelic studies. To examine the prevalence of CEnR practices in PAT research, we conducted a systematic review of the past 10 years of psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD clinical trials in the United States. We reviewed each study (N = 27) to assess whether researchers incorporated CEnR using the Continuum of Community Engagement and reached out to each individual study team to ensure comprehensiveness. Our analysis revealed that only 3/27 (11.11 %) studies incorporated CEnR. In the rare instances CEnR was integrated, PAT researchers used community consultation, which involves relatively little engagement with community members. To improve representation in PAT trials, we recommending incorporating the CEnR principles of 1) mapping and engaging local stakeholders, 2) leveraging existing university-hospital infrastructures, 3) co-designing research and outreach initiatives, 4) securing dedicated CEnR resources, and 5) establishing mechanisms for ongoing evaluation. This systematic review supports that there has been a paucity of community-engaged practices in PAT research, which can be addressed by incorporating our recommendations for implementing CEnR in PAT studies.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Meta-Analysis of Placebo-Controlled Trials of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy | 2020 | Systematic review | |
| Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy—A Systematic Review of Associated Psychological Interventions | 2022 | Systematic review | |
| Psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants in studies of psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms (Major... | 2023 | Systematic review with meta-analysis | n = 14 |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Patients diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses or major depressive disorder | 2023 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | n = 686 |
| Treating posttraumatic stress disorder with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A preliminary meta-analysis and comparison to prolonged exposure therapy Patients with PTSD | 2016 | Meta-analysis |
Citations in the library
Cites 44
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- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
and 39 more in the library