Client treatment preferences in psychedelic-assisted therapy for depression in participants with depressive symptoms
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – July 11, 2024
Source: CrossRef
Summary
Who your therapist is can matter as much as the treatment itself. Research explored if people seeking psychedelic-assisted therapy or traditional talk therapy (CBT) prefer providers of the same gender or race. Over 600 participants rated these preferences. Findings reveal that racial, ethnic, and female participants highly value a same-gender therapist, especially in traditional talk therapy. A same-race therapist was highly valued by racial and ethnic minority participants across both therapy types. Accommodating these preferences is vital, suggesting a clear need to train a diverse range of therapists and guides to enhance patient experience and outcomes.
Abstract
AbstractBackground and AimsResearch on psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), a promising treatment option for major depression, has not revealed if potential clients show preferences about the demographic characteristics of providers comparable to those common in other forms of psychotherapy. Previous work suggests that honoring comparable client preferences can enhance therapeutic outcomes. This study aims to investigate the importance ratings for a same-gender and a same-race therapist in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and PAT.MethodsParticipants (N = 635) responded between December 2020 and January 2021 on Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Participants rated the import of provider characteristics, including having a provider who is the same-gender or the same-race, for a CBT therapist and a PAT guide.ResultsImportance ratings for a same-gender practitioner varied by both race and gender; racial and ethnic minority and female participants had the highest importance ratings for a same-gender practitioner. A same-gender CBT therapist was more important than a same-gender PAT guide. Importance ratings for a same-race practitioner did not differ by therapy type or gender and only varied by race; racial and ethnic minority participants rated a same-race practitioner as more important than White participants.ConclusionsAccommodating client preferences appears important, particularly for members of racial, ethnic, and gender minority groups. A concerted effort to train diverse CBT therapists and PAT guides to meet this demand seems justified.