A Primer for Culturally Attuned Psychedelic Research

Background: Systemic diversification of psychedelic research is needed, in light of interest in psychedelics for healing among Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color (BIPOC) and queer communities. Doing so also contributes to an inclusive evidence base, ethically meeting the anticipated demand for psychedelic treatments post-approval.

Aims: Here, a primer for culturally attuned psychedelic research is presented. This primer covers common psychological and pragmatic barriers to diversity – as part of set and setting – in modern psychedelic research, as well as potential strategies for culturally attuned recruitment, assessment, and retention of diverse participants.

Methods: This primer non-exhaustively synthesizes existing literature on barriers and potential strategies for culturally attuned psychedelic research. This primer focuses on classic psychedelics and other drugs with similar consciousness-altering effects, including 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and ketamine. This primer also limits ‘diversity’ to BIPOC and sexual- and gender-diverse populations, primarily in the United States.

Results: Psychological and pragmatic barriers include drug and mental health stigma, medical mistrust, history of psychedelic-assisted conversion therapy, income disparities, schedule inflexibilities, and transportation inaccessibility. Culturally attuned recruitment, assessment, and retention strategies include queering and diversifying the study team, debinarizing the therapist dyad, developing culturally attuned flyers, investing in community outreach, using language in a culturally attuned way, improving access through transportation, diversifying the dosing room setup, and using culturally attuned instruments.

Conclusions: Psychedelic research groups are encouraged to adapt and enact these recommendations as appropriate in their clinical trials, to improve accessibility to innovative mental health treatments for diverse populations.