The Altered States Database: Psychometric data from a systematic literature review.
Johanna Prugger, Ekin Derdiyok, Jannis Dinkelacker, Cyril Costines, Timo T Schmidt
Scientific Data November 23, 2022 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01822-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 165 |
| Population | Journal articles examining altered states of consciousness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Consciousness Altered-states Scientific-research Psychedelics |
| Citations | 36 |
| Key findings | The systematic review yielded 165 journal articles with psychometric questionnaire data on altered states of consciousness, now available in an open-access database. |
Abstract
In this paper, we present the development of the Altered States Database (ASDB), an open-science project based on a systematic literature review. The ASDB contains psychometric questionnaire data on subjective experiences of altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. The systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Scientific journal articles were identified through PubMed and Web of Science. We included studies that examined ASC using the following validated questionnaires: Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (APZ, 5D-ASC, 11-ASC), Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS), or Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30). The systematic review resulted in the inclusion of a total of 165 journal articles, whereof questionnaire data was extracted and is now available on the Open Science Framework (OSF) website ( https://osf.io/8mbru ) and on the ASDB website ( http://alteredstatesdb.org ), where questionnaire data can be easily retrieved and visualized. This data allows the calculation of comparable psychometric values of ASC experiences and of dose-response relationships of substances inducing ASC.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology October 1, 2023
- Psychedelic therapy in depression and substance use disorders European Journal of Neuroscience May 21, 2024
- Classification schemes of altered states of consciousness. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews August 1, 2025
- Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness. Communications Psychology April 13, 2025
- Flicker light stimulation enhances the emotional response to music: a comparison study to the effects of psychedelics Frontiers in Psychology February 14, 2024
and 21 more in the library
Cites 161
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- 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
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
and 156 more in the library