[Antidepressants, psychedelics and psychotherapies: ecological validity and opacity in mental health].
Raphaël Ezratty
Soins; la revue de reference infirmiere September 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.soin.2026.07.015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Antidepressants Antidépresseurs Ecological validity Opacité thérapeutique Psychedelics Psychotherapy Psychothérapie Psychédéliques Therapeutic opacity Validité écologique |
| Key points | Argues that attributing therapeutic improvement to a specific treatment in mental health care is often difficult, a phenomenon the authors call "therapeutic opacity," and that the gap between clinical study conditions and routine practice raises questions about ecological validity. Proposes that care should account for contexts, individual trajectories, and relational factors shaping outcomes. |
Abstract
In mental health care, attributing improvement to a specific treatment often remains difficult, a phenomenon that we propose to describe here as "therapeutic opacity." Moreover, the conditions under which many clinical studies are conducted often differ substantially from those of routine clinical practice, raising questions about their ecological validity. Drawing on debates surrounding antidepressants, psychedelics, and psychotherapies, this article argues for an approach to care that takes into account the contexts, individual trajectories, and relational factors that shape therapeutic outcomes.