Qualitative Analysis of Views of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Low-Income, Urban, Black Americans.
Sierra Carter, Grace Packard, Jessica L Maples-Keller
Psychedelic Medicine June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2024.0015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Low-income, urban Black adults |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Diversity Psychedelics for therapy Urban black americans Trust Autonomy Practical solutions Childcare Transport Focus groups |
| Key findings | Black Americans in a low-income urban population expressed informed hesitation about psychedelic therapy, emphasized the need for trust and autonomy, and suggested practical solutions to improve access. |
Abstract
Black Americans are significantly underrepresented in psychedelic trials despite significant mental health disparities. Growing research suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. It is important to understand perceptions of PAT among populations with unmet mental health needs. We conducted four focus groups to understand perceptions of psychedelic therapy within a low-income, Black, urban population. Three main themes were identified using an inductive thematic analysis approach: (1) informed hesitation mixed with increasing openness; (2) trust, autonomy, and choice; and (3) practical solutions to increase accessibility. Participants described many concerns related to legacies of racism in healthcare, research, drug prescription, and criminalization. Healthcare systems must invest in trust building with Black Americans to adequately meet healthcare needs. Participants emphasized ways of building trust through supporting autonomy and choice, investing in community building and agency, and suggestions to address barriers (e.g., providing childcare, providing transportation). These findings support calls to center the needs of Black American people given the lack of culturally salient therapeutic paradigms specifically for Black Americans utilized within PAT, improve access and address barriers to healthcare for Black Americans, and increase the quality of care available.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis | n = 10 |
| Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| The hidden therapist: evidence for a central role of music in psychedelic therapy Patients undergoing psychedelic therapy with psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
- MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Nature Medicine June 1, 2021
- 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
and 8 more in the library