Psilocybin-Assisted Group Psychotherapy + Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Frontline Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Related Depression and Burnout: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Benjamin R. Lewis, John Hendrick, Kevin Byrne, Madeleine Odette, Chaorong Wu, Eric L Garland
medRxiv 2025 preprint DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.31.24319806 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Physicians and nurses with frontline clinical work during the COVID-19 pandemic and symptoms of depression and burnout |
| Interventions | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy Mindfulness-based stress reduction |
| Dose | 25 mg |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy Depression Meditation Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Mental health Healthcare workers Clinical trials Covid-19 |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin-assisted therapy plus MBSR led to larger reductions in depressive symptoms and burnout than MBSR alone, with no serious adverse events. |
Abstract
Abstract Objective This clinical trial sought to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin and MBSR for frontline healthcare providers with symptoms of depression and burnout related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial that enrolled physicians and nurses with frontline clinical work during the COVID-19 pandemic and symptoms of depression and burnout. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either an 8-week MBSR curriculum alone or an 8-week MBSR curriculum plus group psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) with 25mg psilocybin. Symptoms of depression and burnout were assessed at baseline, and 2-weeks and 6-months post intervention utilizing the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR-16) and Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Professionals (MBI-HSS-MP), respectively. Secondary outcome measures included the Demoralization Scale (DS-II) and the Watt’s Connectedness Scale (WCS). Adverse events and suicidality were assessed through 6-month follow-up.
Results: 25 participants were enrolled and randomized. There were 12 study-related AEs recorded that were Grade 1-2 and no serious AEs. There was larger decrease in QIDS score for the MBSR+PAP arm compared to MBSR-only from baseline to 2-weeks post-intervention and significant between-group differences favoring MBSR+PAP on subscales of the MBI-HSS-MP as well as the DS-II and WCS.
Conclusions: Group psilocybin-assisted therapy plus MBSR was associated with clinically significant improvement in depressive symptoms without serious adverse events and with greater reduction in symptoms than MBSR alone. Study findings suggest that integrating psilocybin with mindfulness training may represent a promising treatment for depression and burnout among physicians and nurses.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Psilocybin-assisted therapy plus MBSR led to larger reductions in depressive symptoms and burnout than MBSR alone, with no serious adverse events.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin and meditation, most cited first.