MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of a Participant of Color From an Open-Label Trial
Terence H. W. Ching, Monnica T. Williams, Sara Reed, M. Kisicki, Julie B. Wang, B. Yazar-Klosinski, A. Emerson, R. Doblin
Journal of Humanistic Psychology February 10, 2022 DOI: 10.1177/00221678221076993 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed-methods case study Open-label Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Participant of color with treatment-resistant PTSD from an open-label trial of MDMA-AT |
| Intervention | MDMA-assisted therapy |
| Topics | MDMA PTSD |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key findings | A participant of color with treatment-resistant PTSD showed quantitative improvement in symptoms and reported psychological mechanisms of change, reduced PTSD symptoms, and additional effects beyond symptom reduction during MDMA-assisted therapy. |
Abstract
MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) was shown in previous clinical trials to have promising efficacy and safety for alleviating treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, due to low ethnoracial diversity, the question remains as to whether ethnoracial minority participants would benefit similarly. Thus, a mixed-methods case study was conducted on a participant of color from an open-label trial of MDMA-AT for PTSD to provide a culturally informed lens on symptom recovery with this treatment approach. An additional aim was to elucidate mechanisms of change underlying this treatment for the participant. A case profile was provided, documenting quantitative improvement in PTSD symptoms. This was followed by an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of effects and mechanisms of action for this participant, based on integration session transcripts. Results of IPA indicated recurrent themes related to psychological mechanisms of symptom change, reduced PTSD symptoms, and additional effects (positive and negative) beyond PTSD symptom reduction. These themes were discussed and recommendations for attuning to culturally relevant material during MDMA-AT were provided.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on MDMA for PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Psychedelics and Racial Justice International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction April 1, 2024
- Facing death, returning to life: A qualitative analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness Frontiers in Psychiatry September 27, 2022
- A primer for culturally attuned psychedelic clinical trials Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 15, 2025
- Acute and post-dosing effects of single-dose psilocybin for obsessive-compulsive disorder in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: an interpretative phenomenological analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry December 10, 2025
- Cultural Humility and Psychedelics: A Framework Analysis of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Manuals and Practice Guidelines Research Square February 13, 2025
and 4 more in the library
Cites 25
- MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacology September 1, 2019
- Psychedelics and connectedness Psychopharmacology August 9, 2017
- Inclusion of people of color in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: a review of the literature BMC Psychiatry July 31, 2018
- The psychedelic renaissance and the limitations of a White-dominant medical framework: A call for indigenous and ethnic minority inclusion Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 1, 2019
- MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: Are memory reconsolidation and fear extinction underlying mechanisms? Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry June 8, 2018
and 20 more in the library