Human Service Professionals’, Educators’, and Students’ Attitudes Toward Psychedelics and Psychedelic Therapy
Journal of Human Services – February 28, 2025
Source: CrossRef
Summary
A majority of human service professionals, educators, and students believe psychedelics show promise for treating psychiatric disorders. A survey of 72 individuals in these fields explored their views. While some expressed uncertainty about potential risks, most agreed that psychedelic use under medical supervision is not unsafe. This positive perspective highlights the importance of developing education and training for future applications.
Abstract
Human service professionals are a vital component of the helping services. Their attitudes toward psychedelics and psychedelic treatments are critical for future integration into community and social service. This descriptive study explored the attitudes about psychedelics used in treatment among 72 human service students, educators, and professionals. Participants expressed uncertain attitudes about possible psychiatric and cognitive risks related to psychedelic use. However, most participants agreed that psychedelic use under medical supervision is not unsafe. The majority of participants strongly agreed that psychedelics show promise in treating psychiatric disorders and deserves further research. When randomly grouped, nonsignificant differences existed between those who reported prior psychedelic use compared to those who did not. Overall, this research highlights the need for further investigation into what constitutes appropriate psychedelic use education and training for human service professionals. Addressing such educational and training gaps can help ensure competency, knowledge, and skills for future use.