Healing Words: Effects of Psychoeducation on Likelihood to Seek and Refer Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Among BIPOC Individuals.
Raymond Feng, Terence H. W. Ching, Amy Bartlett, Joseph T. la Torre, Monnica T. Williams
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2253535 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 622 |
| Population | BIPOC and non-Hispanic White adults |
| Interventions | psychoeducation (didactic visual narrative hope-based) |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Bipoc Diversity Psychoeducation Recruitment Treatment-seeking |
| Key findings | After psychoeducation, BIPOC participants were more likely than non-Hispanic White participants to seek PAP, and information on physical safety and success rate uniquely predicted their likelihood of seeking and referring others. |
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is gaining renewed interest as a treatment for various mental disorders. However, there has been limited Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) representation in PAP clinical trials, signaling the need for culturally consonant communication about the efficacy and safety of PAP. We randomly assigned 321 BIPOC and 301 non-Hispanic White participants to four different modes of psychoeducation (didactic, visual, narrative, hope-based) and tested effects on likelihood of seeking and referring others to PAP using ANCOVAS. The influences of different psychoeducation components on these likelihoods were also tested using hierarchical regression modeling. Regardless of psychoeducation mode, BIPOC participants were more likely to seek PAP than non-Hispanic White participants after psychoeducation. Further, information on physical safety and success rate of PAP uniquely predicted BIPOC participants' likelihood of seeking and referring others to PAP after psychoeducation. Our findings suggest that once provided psychoeducation, BIPOC participants are receptive to seeking or referring others to PAP. BIPOC participants also appear to prioritize physical safety and rate of success of PAP in these decisions. Stigma against PAP is likely not the primary barrier to recruitment of BIPOC individuals into PAP trials. Instead, researchers should conduct more psychoeducational outreach to diversify future trials.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Perceptions of psychedelic-assisted therapy among Black Americans. Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders December 1, 2023
- A primer for culturally attuned psychedelic clinical trials Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 15, 2025
- Attitudes of U.S. Muslims Toward Psychedelics. Psychedelic Medicine March 1, 2026
- The CAnadian Network for Psychedelic-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT): A Multi-Phase Program Overview. Current Oncology December 22, 2025
- The purpose of the psychosocial protocol in the psychedelic-assisted therapy: A scoping review Journal of Psychopharmacology June 26, 2026
and 3 more in the library
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