Development of the Japanese version of the Challenging Experience Questionnaire

Abstract Introduction The therapeutic potential of psychedelics for various mental disorders has gained significant interest. Previous studies have highlighted that psychedelics induce psychoactive effects, including challenging aspects of experiences. These experiences are assessed using the Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), yet its Japanese version has been unavailable. This study aimed to create a Japanese version of the CEQ.

Methods: We followed the “Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient‐Reported Outcomes (PRO) Measures: Report of the ISPOR Task Force for Translation and Cultural Adaptation.” Initially, two Japanese psychiatrists independently conducted the forward translations. These were then reconciled into a single version, which was back‐translated into English. The original authors reviewed this back‐translation for accuracy, leading to revisions through continuous dialogue until the original authors approved the final version.

Results: The final, approved back‐translated version of the CEQ is presented in the figure.

Conclusions: This study developed a Japanese version of the CEQ, enabling the assessment of challenging experiences during psychedelic‐assisted therapy for Japanese speakers. Further studies are needed to assess the reliability and validity of this newly translated version.