Examining changes in personality following shamanic ceremonial use of ayahuasca.
Brandon Weiss, Joshua D. Miller, Nathan T. Carter, W. Keith Campbell
Sci Rep March 23, 2021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84746-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 256 |
| Population | Participants from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central America |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Duration | Baseline to post-ceremony and 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Entheogens Shamanic medicine Personality change Personal growth Self-improvement Trait alteration Psychological transformation Mental health Psychological health Enhanced well-being Indigenous practices Spiritual ceremonies |
| Citations | 80 |
| Key findings | Ceremonial ayahuasca use was associated with a large reduction in Neuroticism, as measured by both self-report and informant-report. |
Abstract
Abstract The present study examines the association between the ceremonial use of ayahuasca—a decoction combining the Banistereopsis caapi vine and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine-containing plants—and changes in personality traits as conceived by the Five-Factor model (FFM). We also examine the degree to which demographic characteristics, baseline personality, and acute post-ayahuasca experiences affect personality change. Participants recruited from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central America (N = 256) completed self-report measures of personality at three timepoints (Baseline, Post, 3-month Follow-up). Informant-report measures of the FFM were also obtained (N = 110). Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in personality and the moderation of those changes by covariates. The most pronounced change was a reduction in Neuroticism dz self-reportT1–T2 = − 1.00; dz self-reportT1–T3 = − .85; dz informant-reportT1–T3 = − .62), reflected in self- and informant-report data. Moderation of personality change by baseline personality, acute experiences, and purgative experiences was also observed.