Attitudes Toward Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) Among Mental Health Professionals in Poland and Their Associations with Cognitive, Epistemic, and Existential Factors

Abstract

The clinical use of psychedelic substances and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) is an area of growing interest that also raises significant social concerns and controversy. Despite existing legal restrictions, empirical research on substances such as psilocybin, mescaline, MDMA, LSD, DMT, and ibogaine has been developing, particularly in the treatment of conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), existential anxiety, and substance use disorders. Research in this field is also being conducted in Poland. At the same time, ongoing legislative processes in various countries suggest that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) may be incorporated into clinical practice in the future. Attitudes toward psychedelics and their therapeutic use may be shaped by multiple factors, including cognitive and epistemic variables (e.g., knowledge, trust in scientific findings, tendency to reduce cognitive uncertainty), existential factors (e.g., spiritual orientation), and variables related to individuals’ own psychedelic experiences. Given the growing interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics, examining attitudes toward psychedelics/PAT among mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists) is particularly relevant, as they may be involved in implementing this form of therapy in the future. While such studies have been conducted in several European countries, the United States, and Australia, they have not yet been carried out in Poland. The aim of the study is to examine attitudes toward psychedelics/PAT among mental health professionals in Poland and to investigate their associations with selected cognitive (need for cognitive closure), epistemic (trust in science), practice-related (attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practice), and existential (spiritual transcendence) factors. These variables will be assessed using standardized questionnaires: the Attitudes on Psychedelics Questionnaire (APQ; Žuljević et al., 2022), the Concerns and Openness toward Psychedelic Scale (COPS; Holas & Kaminska, 2023), the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS-15; Aarons, 2004), the Trust in Science Short Scale (Steger & Schütz, 2025), the Need for Cognitive Closure Scale (PPD15; Kossowska et al., 2012), and the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STD; Piotrowski et al., 2013). The study will also include participants’ psychedelic experiences, as well as selected sociodemographic and professional variables. The study addresses the following research questions: – relationships between attitudes toward psychedelics and cognitive, epistemic, and existential factors; – the role of prior psychedelic experience (including frequency, context, and subjective evaluation) in shaping attitudes; – the potential moderating role of psychedelic experience in the relationships between psychological variables and attitudes toward psychedelics; – differences in attitudes depending on professional and sociodemographic variables. The results may contribute to a better understanding of the psychological determinants of attitudes toward psychedelics and their therapeutic use, and may inform discussions on the potential implementation of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Poland, as well as the development of educational and training initiatives for mental health professionals.